DCE set tone for Elections 2008

Winneba (C/R), Aug. 29, GNA - Mr. Solomon Abbam Quaye, District Chief Executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya on Tuesday called on politicians to eschew negative politicking of abuse, intimidation and character assassination in the 2008 electioneering campaign.

He expressed concern about politics in Ghana, which had become abusive, full of insults, backbiting and negative propaganda aimed at tarnishing the image of opponents, stressing; "this is unacceptable in modern democratic campaigning."

Mr. Quaye made the observation during the launch of "Sponsor A Child," campaign at Winneba, to mobilise resources for the education of rural and under-privileged children across the country.

The Sponsor A Child campaign, the brain-child of "Challenging Heights" a child rights non-governmental organisations seeks to mobilize and harness the talents and resources from endowed people and communities for the advancement of the rural under-privileged children. The DCE advised social advocates not to allow politicians to woo them into politics mainly because of their influence, cautioning; "politicians take advantage of popularity of such personalities and organisations for the fulfillment of the party's agenda. "After they've gotten what they want, they dumped you, ruining your reputation."

The DCE commended Challenging Heights for promoting education; and sustaining the fight against child-labour, as well as sensitizing the people on healthy living in the District.

He also praised government for the implementation of the capitation grant, school feeding programmme, and the National Health Insurance Scheme, which were all policies aimed at improving the welfare of children. DCE urged every parent to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme for the benefit of their children. Mr Abbam Quaye advised the youth against indecent dressing, saying this attitude could affect their future job opportunities. The founder of Challenging Heights, Mr. James Kofi Annan, who was himself a victim of child-labour, said he resigned from Barclays Bank to enable him to work full time at helping the under-privileged children. He said the Sponsor- A -Child Campaign was the beginning of a series of events that was aimed at improving education for children, adding that, the Campaign was targeted at mobilizing resources, such as clothing, books, sandals, food and medicines which will be of benefit to children in and out of school.

Mr. Annan said some of the activities undertaken by Challenging Heights, were provision of educational materials, sewing machines, establishment of school, scholarships, and other advocacy campaigns. He expressed gratitude to government for the introduction of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme and asked the implementers of the projects to make sure that it worked to increase access to quality basic education. Mr. Annan said the Global Fund for Children (USA) had began a five-year support programme with Challenging Heights after they sent a fact-finding mission from the USA to Ghana to explore the activities of the organization. The programme was climaxed with the distribution of books, pens, pencils, and other educational materials valued at GH=A2 2,000 (=A220 million) to pupils and students drawn from various schools in Winneba. The DCE also made a personal donation of GH=A2 100 (=A21,000,000) and donated one television set from the PSI on Distance Learning, to the new school, CH International School, established by Challenging Heights. 29 Aug. 07