The Centre for Social Mobilisation and Sustainable Development (CENSODEV), a Navrongo based Civil Society Organisation has embarked on a voter education and mobilisation activities to whip up interest of citizens in the electoral process.
It will also help to promote peace, before, during and after the 2024 Election.
The initiative, which is one of the cardinal policies of CENSODEV over the years is dedicated to creating and strengthening grassroots networks alliances and self-help associations for building community resilience and committed to advancing democracy at all levels.
The NGO is also committed to working alongside partners in Ghana and beyond to strengthen and improve the existing electoral processes.
Mr Braimah Sanjage, the Executive Director of CENSODEV said the International Republican Institute (IRI) supported the initiative with funding from the USAID’s Political Accountability Activity (POLA) and other partners.
He said CENSODEV had embarked on voter mobilization activities, to help get these vulnerable groups to participate effectively by getting their names onto the voter register to enable them to exercise their franchise.
He said the project covered five regions -the Upper East, Upper West, North-East, Bono East and Western Regions.
“We undertook activities, using Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials and media engagements, increasing the vulnerable participation in the socio-political development of Ghana through greater citizens participation in governance.
We do this by targeting especially, the vulnerable, women, youth and tribal minorities at all levels to achieve transparency and duty bearer accountability in leadership”, he said.
Mr Sanjage said, his outfit started district outreach activities in its project communities in the Upper East Region, to sensitise its partners and community members and structures, to contribute to sustaining peace before, during and after the December 2024 elections.
He said the activities took place in Tongo, in the Talensi District where he interacted with Impact Master Artisans, drawing from tailors, hairdressers, weavers, auto mechanics, welders and fabricators among others numbering over 55 members.
He said Ghana was currently grappling with high political tension that had not been experienced in the history of the fourth republic.
He pointed out that the Upper East Region was one of the poorest in Ghana yet, the region continued to experience conflicts that pose a serious challenge to the developmental processes.
He expressed concern about the century old Bawku conflict, which had already displaced a lot of people, and many lives lost.
“Bawku which is the business hub of the Region is now like a cemetery, the just ended Kandiga-Doba dispute in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality had also left lots of pain and displacement of ordinary people, which is going to take a long time to recover”, he said.
He added that Burkina-Faso was battling with activities of the Jihadis and currently ranked high on the Global Terrorism Index of 2024.
Deaths in the Sahel constituted 47 per cent of the global total of terrorism deaths in 2023, compared to just one percent in 2007.
Mr Sanjage said, the increasing communal frustration over the lack of economic development gives room for terrorist organizations to recruit people in Burkina-Faso, due to disillusionment about the stagnating economy.
“They are our closed neighbours and we share same cultural values, putting us all in danger”, and that there was a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in the northern areas of Ghana bordering Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and particularly Burkina Faso, where terrorists, other armed groups and militias were active.
Mr Sanjage therefore, appealed to the electorate especially women to take note of candidates who campaign on messages that do not promote peace and vote against such people.
He said it was important for the electorate to attend all political rallies, to listen to the messages and manifestos of the various contesting parties and candidates to be able to make an informed choice and vote for progressive leaders.
He appealed to all to remain peace ambassadors in their various households and their workplaces to preach tolerance, peace, love and understanding to make December 7 a violent free event.
Source: GNA
