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Drucilla Lartey, Officer in Charge of the Ablekuma South Sub-Metro Office of the National Civic Education Commission (NCCE), has asked representatives of political parties to educate their members about electoral crimes.
“A person found guilty of an electoral offense can be fined up to 500 units of penalty or imprisoned for a maximum of two years or both. For some of the crimes, a person can also be disqualified from voting in subsequent elections or from holding any public office, “Lartey said at an opening ceremony of an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) for the Ablekuma South constituency in Accra.
The IPDC is mandated to act as a unifying body to promote peace and resolve conflicts before, during and after the 2020 general elections to enhance political, economic and social progress and stability.
She said: “A key indicator of democracy and good governance in the developed world is credibility and peace, yet the elections in most developing countries, especially in Africa, have not been the best since that bring with them incalculable difficulties.
He said that although violence had been part of Ghana’s politics, the country had an impressive record of successfully managing its elections.
Lartey said the country had avoided electoral violence experienced in other countries and enjoyed an uninterrupted stable democratic government.
Ghana has been hailed internationally as one of the beacons of democratic governance, not only in West Africa, but also on the African continent, he said.
The officer in charge said that as a result of Ghana’s track record, there is a need to deepen and consolidate these democratic principles.
” The PIDC will act as a buffer zone in electoral districts to stem the surge of unnecessary suspicion and anxiety among political parties, especially now that the activities of political party vigilantes have gained some ground and are likely to spoil Ghana’s enviable record of holding peaceful elections, ” she said.
The PIDC, he said, would monitor the application of electoral rules and regulations, promote peace, identify issues that had the potential to trigger an electoral conflict, and also promote the exchange of information to prevent the spread of rumors.
In addition, the Committee would work with the National Peace Council and all key stakeholders in the peacebuilding process and help monitor and report instances of non-compliance with rules and regulations related to the holding of elections and the maintenance of public order.
Key violations to monitor include distribution of money and gifts to constituencies, declaration of election results by political parties and their members, manipulation of elections, use of provocative and abusive language by political parties and abuse of competition.
The PIDC is made up of representatives of all registered political parties, security services, Christian and Muslim leaders, traditional leaders, CNCE, the media, the district assembly, independent governance institutions, and civil society organizations.
The Reverend Ms Rebecca FA Abladey, President of the IPDC, advised Committee members to be advocates of peace and urged them to build the bridge of coexistence.
“We are families, although we belong to several political parties, we must be united so that after the elections we can maintain our relations.
“Let us leave a good legacy of raising the youth of our time without violence,” he added.
Source: GNA
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