state

Kwabeng (E/R), May 1, GNA - The District Chief Executive (DCE) of East Akyem, Mr Emmanuel Asihene, has said Ghanaians the government was in control of the state security and anyone who attempted to mar the forthcoming elections would be firmly dealt with.

He pointed out that the military were well-resourced to carry out their duties without interfering in the governance of the day. Mr Asihene was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people at Kwabeng in the Atiwa District on Friday, organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) part of the Constitution Week celebrations to educate the people on what was expected of them in the coming elections.

He recalled that all the coup d'etats that had been staged in the country had been justified by the perpetrators as due to prevailing high cost of living and noted that the NPP administration was focused on the economy to improve the standard of living.

Mr Asihene reminded politicians that elections were the only means for them to have the mandate of Ghanaians to rule and it therefore, behoves them to create a conducive environment to conduct the forthcoming elections.

He entreated all political parties to be objective in their electioneering campaign and criticisms to give meaning to the constitutional democracy that the nation had chosen.

The Regional Director of the NCCE, Mr Emmanuel Quaye-Sowah, told them that the constitution allowed for different political parties and religious doctrines, therefore, each person had to be tolerant and have respect for an opposing view.

He noted that once there were differences on all issues, it indicated a fertile ground for chaos in the coming elections, " but we need to exhibit civility and maturity by tolerating and understanding opposing views", he stressed.

Mr Quaye-Sowah said the NCCE was also educating the security agencies on their basic responsibility towards the state and their contribution towards the sustenance of constitutional democracy in Ghana.

The chief of Kwabeng, Osabarima Darkwa Woe, appealed to people in the region to accord the same priority accorded the voter's registration exercise to the photograph taking, which begins in May, to make their would enable them to vote.

He reminded them that anyone who failed to take the photograph within the stipulated period would lose the power to vote since "any ID card without the photograph would be unacceptable for voting."