Chief bemoans low sensitisation on referendum, district level elections
The Paramount Chief of Axim Traditional Area in the Western Region, Awulae Attibrukusu III, has observed that the low public sensitisation on the district level election and referendum was worrisome and should be addressed to enhance democracy and good governance.
He explained that the Electoral Commission had barely a month to conduct the elections, but the citizenry, were not adequately educated and sensitised on the exercises, and tasked relevant stakeholders to intensify awareness on the exercises so as to enable them to make informed decisions.
Awulae Attibrukusu expressed the sentiment at the launch of the Regional and Catholic Diocesan sensitisation programme on the referendum and district level elections organised by the Sekondi-Takoradi Catholic Diocese Justice and Peace Commission wing of the National Catholic Secretariat with support from Konrad Adenaer Foundation.
Initiatives of the Catholic Church to educate, sensitise and empower the citizenry to engage and participate in political discourse and decision making processes at both the national and local levels was on the theme: ‘Participation of Political Parties and Citizens in the District Level Elections.’
Awulae Attibrukusu noted that “it is imperative for intensify education, sensitisation and awareness on merits and demerits of referendum to ensure active participation and massive turn out for elections, help them understand local governance system through education, sensitisation and awareness creation.”
Justice Baffour Djumah a member of Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, took the participants through Articles 243 (1) and 55(3) and explained the pros and cons of either voting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in referendum and urged “the citizenry to vote wisely, your vote is your power”.
Reverend Father Clement Kwasi, Director, Governance, Justice and Peace Directorate at the National Catholic Secretariat, called on Christians to participate in political discourse by bringing to bear their expertise, since they have a major role to play in political dispensation, and not only concentrate on prayers and preaching.
Anthony Sam, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, commended Sekondi-Takoradi Catholic Diocese for organising the programme and stressed the need for intensified education, sensitisation and awareness on referendum and district level elections, and admonished the electorate to vote for right people to help deepen democratic dispensation and good governance at local level. -GNA
