Youth urged to be good advocates to promote Peaceful Elections

Dr. Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh, a lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, has challenged the Ghanaian youth to act as good advocates everywhere they find themselves to help promote a peaceful elections in December 7 general election.

According to her, the youth must agents of change by becoming advocates of positive talk before, during and after the elections.

Dr. Gyekye-Jandoh threw this challenge to the youth at fourth edition of the ‘Y Dialogues’ vote on issues campaign, held over the weekend at Osu.

‘’The youth must see themselves as important tools for the promotion of peace and security in elections,’’ adding that, ‘’they must make good use of the media and involve themselves in advocacy on radio, television, print and most importantly social media, ’’she stated.

Dr. Gyekye-Jandoh again urged youth leaders of political parties to write position papers and policy briefs about the need for free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections, and a level playing field for all parties to campaign in the pre-election period.

Briefing the gathering on the plans of the People's National Convention for the youth, the Deputy Youth Leader of the PNC, Alidu Muhammed, said, the PNC will not hide anything from the youth because the future of the country lays in the hands of the youth.

Convention People’s Party (CPP) representative, Fafage Agbodzi-Sewornu, on the other hand said, the CPP upon assumption of office will create a separate Ministry for the youth to enable full concentration on issues relating to the youth. He explained that the current system of youth and sports ministry only benefits sports and has neglected youth issues.

Also present at the event were We Arise, a youth advocacy group, students from some selected schools and some media personalities.

The Vote on Issues Campaign is sponsored by STAR-Ghana and supported by Global Media Alliance, e.TV Ghana, Happy FM and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition.