Accra, Sept. 9, GNA - The Ghana Post Company Limited in collaboration with a consultancy group on Tuesday launched "Violence-Free Ghana" campaign to afford the public an opportunity to contribute positively through writing of peace messages. The campaign, being organised with I. Q. Consult, also seeks to develop the skills and ability of the youth in writing.

Mr. Nicholas Dery, Deputy Managing Director of Ghana Post, said current events in the country rang alarm bells in view of their threat of insecurity as the election approached.

"The competition will therefore inculcate in the youth the virtues of justice, love, reconciliation and peace especially in this election year."

He said the youth should see themselves as instruments to be used to promote peace and reconciliation instead of rancour.

Mr. Dery observed that letter and easy writing still remained the most accessible means of communication and message delivery available to millions of people.

"It is under this score that we have initiated this competition to rekindle the interest in the youth to write more," he said. He said though rapid advancement of electronic information technology posed a threat to the traditional postal system, Ghana Post was accelerating its pace of computerization, to enable them to expand their range of services.

Mr Dery urged all students to participate in the competition towards a violence-free election in December.

Nana Akomea, Minister, Manpower, Youth and Employment, who launched the campaign, noted that Ghana had a good electoral reputation across Africa, saying it had since 1992 organized four major successive elections and was now the eye of many African countries. He said the reputation could be maintained and enhanced only if the December election was conducted in a peaceful manner and warned against "sponsored and organized violence" which did not augur well for development.

Nana Akomea therefore called on the media to play an active role in educating the public on the need to ensure violence-free elections. 9 Sept. 08