The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged political youth activists in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region on the implementation of the Political Vigilantism and Related Offences Act ahead of the December elections.

The engagement was to equip the youth on the tenets of the act and other electoral laws to contribute to ensuring a peaceful Presidential and Parliamentary elections come December 7.

It was organized by the Talensi District of the Commission for political youth activists and was sponsored by the European Union (EU).

The Vigilantism and Related Offences Act of 2019, Act 999, seeks to disband all political party vigilante groups and forbids the act of vigilantism in the country as well as seeks to punish any person who engages in activities of vigilantism that is related to a political party.

The Act which was borne out of the numerous electoral political violence the country has encountered especially during elections in recent times would ensure that anyone who breaks it would be liable to a term of imprisonment not less than five years and not more than 15 years.

Mr Samuel Akolgo, Programmes Officer at the Upper East Regional office of the NCCE, explained that as the election was getting closer and campaigns getting heated it was imperative for all political parties to abide by the Act that banned all forms vigilantism to ensure there was pace before, during and after the elections.

He said the youth must be warned of the fact the law does not discriminate and therefore should allow themselves to be controlled and manipulated by some selfish politicians to mar the peaceful conduct of the elections.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Raymond Gai, the Talensi District Police Commander, noted that the Talensi has had an incidence of electoral violence in the past and therefore the police in collaboration with other security agencies were well prepared to deal with perpetrators of violence.

He said the security services were well equipped to police the elections professionally and called on the public to support them to deliver on their mandate.

Ms Dorcas Atia, the Talensi District Director of the NCCE, urged the political youth activists to tolerate each other’s views so to ensure that the election was peaceful and the constituency remained united after the elections.