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Don’t use political talk shows to create tension – NCCE
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region has called on political activists to exercise circumspection in their utterances during political talk shows on radio and television to avoid creating tensions in the country.
The call included the need for political activists to consider their political rivals healthy competitors and not enemies who were all seeking for the development of the country and avoid name calling and abusive language that could lead to violence.
The District Director of the commission, Mr. Nurideen Mumuni, who made the call at an Inter-party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting at Wechiau on Tuesday indicated that respect and tolerance were critical in political discourse of every country.
The meeting which brought together youth and women groups, political activists, persns with disabilities, among others formed part of activities scheduled under a European Union Funded Project dubbed ‘Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Border Regions of Ghana (NORPRESEC)’.
The Director underscored the need for political activists to be decorous on national media platforms in order not to create dissention among one another.
“When people feel disrespected by what others say, they try to retaliate by using more abusive words and this kind of discourse can fuel tension which is not really needed in the country”, he said.
He explained that peacebuilding included tolerance and involvement of everyone such that people felt significant and said there was the need to serve the interest of the various groups; marginalised, persons with disabilities as well as those perceived to be powerful in society.
Mr. Nurideen said that the aim of the commission was to use stakeholder dialogue to foil possible external attacks from violent extremists by blocking internal loopholes that could fuel such attacks.
On his part, the chairman of the Inter-Dialogue Committee, Mr. Abdulai Iddrisu defined violent extremism as an act of condoning and enacting violence with a deliberate intent to eliminate or cause injury to n opponent typically for religious or political reasons.
He encouraged participants to develop joint community strategies that would help identify and prevent early signs of extremist attacks in their respective communities and encouraged the youth to stay away from suspicious characters.
The Wechiau District Pastor of the Church of Pentecost, Pastor Alfred Assih advised Ghanaians to use proper channels to get their grievance addressed without resorting to violence.
From Lydia Darlingon Fordjour, Wechiau
The Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed all party members and groups engaged in early presidential campaign activities to stop immediately.
The directive followed a meeting between the Council and President John Dramani Mahama on May 29, 2026, during which they discussed party unity, discipline and support for the government’s Resetting Agenda.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Council expressed concern over reports of premature presidential campaigns and related political activities by some individuals and groups within the party.
It noted that the NDC is currently focused on delivering on the mandate given to it by Ghanaians and urged members to channel their energy, resources and commitment towards supporting the government’s efforts to improve the lives of citizens.
The Council stressed that activities that could create division, distraction or unnecessary competition within the party should be avoided at this stage.
It further reminded members of Article 42 of the party’s constitution, which states that the date and venue for the election of a presidential candidate must be determined by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
According to the Council, no individual, group or interest bloc has the authority to engage in or promote any form of presidential campaign until the NEC officially announces the timetable and guidelines for presidential primaries.
It therefore directed all persons involved in such activities to cease immediately.
The directive covers campaigning, mobilisation, endorsements, publicity and any related activities aimed at promoting the presidential ambitions of prospective candidates.
The Council called on party members to remain united and focus on supporting the government’s transformational agenda and fulfilling the expectations of the Ghanaian people.
It added that the time for internal contests would come, but for now, the party’s collective responsibility is to serve the nation and ensure the successful implementation of the mandate entrusted to it.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Presidential staffer, Dr Sammy Ayeh has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing it of focusing on issues that do not address the needs of Ghanaians.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding a private family funeral of Gold board CEO, Sammy Gyamfi’s father on facebook , Dr Ayeh described attempts to politicise the event as unnecessary and a distraction from matters of national importance.
He argued that at a time when Ghana is focused on economic recovery, job creation, healthcare, education and attracting investment, the opposition should be concentrating on government policies and offering alternatives rather than discussing a private family ceremony.
According to him, the funeral was organised by a private family with relatives capable of managing their own affairs, making the political attention surrounding it unwarranted.
Dr Ayeh made the remarks while referring to President John Dramani Mahama’s recent engagement with members of the Ghanaian diaspora in London during his official working visit to the United Kingdom.
He noted that during the meeting, the President discussed Ghana’s development agenda, investment opportunities and the role of Ghanaians abroad in supporting national growth.
He indicated that Mr Mahama also highlighted measures being implemented by his administration in areas such as healthcare, education, infrastructure and social protection to improve the lives of citizens.
Dr Ayeh maintained that a responsible opposition party should examine such policies, question them where necessary and provide alternative solutions.
Instead, he contended that the NPP appeared more interested in what he described as “funeral politics” than issues affecting the daily lives of Ghanaians.
While acknowledging that questioning government actions is an important part of democracy, he stressed that such scrutiny must be constructive and aimed at advancing the public interest.
He further argued that opposition should be measured by the quality of ideas and alternatives presented rather than the volume of criticism.
Dr Ayeh expressed concern that the NPP had, in his view, replaced meaningful policy engagement with sensationalism and political theatrics.
He urged the party to focus on examining government programmes, proposing credible alternatives and contributing positively to national debate.
According to him, Ghanaians deserve an opposition that addresses pressing national issues and helps strengthen democratic governance.
By: Jacob Aggrey
