The National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) will this year organise debates for all presidential and parliamentary candidates to enable them share their propose policies with the public.

For the Presidential debate, the country would be zoned into three, and that of the Northern would be held in September, the Middle in October and the Southern belt in November.

Speaking at a media engagement in Accra on Thursday to share the Commission’s year plan, Madam Josephine Nkrumah, Chairperson of the NCCE, said the debate for parliamentary candidates would be staged in all the 275 constituencies.

The programme line up seeks to shape the civic conscience of the public, increase participation in governance, and preach tolerance, especially in the electioneering year.

This year’s programme line up is on the theme: “The Future of Ghana is in my Hands” and it seeks to appeal to the hearts and minds of the public to put Ghana first in all their endeavours.

Madam Nkrumah said the Commission through the programme was aiming at addressing the issue of voter apathy, leading to low voter turnout.

“We will undertake door to door/dawn and dust broadcast as well as radio shows to educate electorate on the need to turn-up during elections to vote,” she said.

Towards a successful election, she stated that the Commission would organise community durbar and focus group discussions on the elections as well as show documentaries on the consequences of electoral violence.

Madam Nkrumah said the Commission, working with other stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, the Election Security Tax force, National Peace Council and Small Arms and Light Weapons, would identify hot spots in constituencies to develop proactive measures to deal with issues that would come up.

The programme outline, she said, would feature prominently a comprehensive education on Political Party Vigilantism and conflict management.
Madam Nkrumah said as part of their year plan, the Commission would engage with marginalized and excluded groups, organised bodies as well as the youth on voting processes.

She said considering that the high stakes in the up-coming elections, part of the educational campaign would focus on sensitizing political parties on the need to avoid the use of intemperate language.

“We appeal to the media not to amplify the intemperate language by reporting the intemperate language used by politicians during campaign season,” she said.

Madam Nkrumah appealed to the government to retool the Commission to function effectively, especially in the election year.