The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on the youth to serve as agents to promote peaceful coexistence which is a requisite for the development of the nation.

Isaac Kwame Antwi, NCCE Tema Metropolitan Director explained that there was widespread concern about the high level of crime although data vary year-in-year-out the problem was disturbing.

Mr Antwi told the Ghana News Agency at Tema on the sidelines of a forum, organized by the NCCE in collaboration with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly and supported by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The forum was on the theme: “Youth Activists on Peace and Tolerance,” seeks to empower the youth to standout as agent for the promotion of peace as well as build their capacity to tolerate divergent views under extreme provocation.

The NCCE Tema Municipal Director explained that a great deal of crime goes unrecorded, and much of the crime is linked up to the youth.

He said the youth have become tools in the hands of politicians and unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of their vulnerability to use them to cause mayhem, “the youth must wane itself from these negative activities and serve as ambassadors for peace”.

Mr Henry Attoh Okai, Greater Accra Regional Executive Secretary, National Peace Counsel, asked the Youth not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to promote violence.

Mr. Okai observed that politicians who used young people for violent activities did not care about the welfare of the youth, but only deceived the youth with money just to promote their political interest.

He also advised against the youth against involvement in vigilante activities; “it only disturbed the development of the youth who put themselves at the disposal of some political parties to the detriment of their education and eventually becoming useless in society.”

Mr. Okai asked political parties to join in the fight against vigilantism by educating their members on the dangers of the menace to society.

He also asked government to strengthen the fight against vigilantism and empower the NCCE with the needed resources to sensitise the populace.

Chief Superintendent Michael Amoako Boateng, Community One District Police Commander called on Ghanaians to at all times abide by the laws of the land in all their public activities to avoid disorder.

Speaking on public demonstrations and its tendencies to create violence, Chief Supt. Boateng said it is the duty of the Police to ensure that there is public order and therefore those who allowed themselves to be used to create violence during such activities would be pick up by the police.

Chief Supt. Boateng said that people who wanted to organize public functions needed permission from the police before embarking on such activities in order not to infringe on the Public Order Act.

“You will have to write a letter to the police for a permit and you have to do that in five days before the said activity; the police will have to give the permit before you can go on with the activity,” he stated.

The District Police Commander asked those who organized special activities like demonstration, street carnival, to comport themselves since they would be held accountable should anything go bad.