Kumasi: The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has called on the youth of Ghana to resist being manipulated by political actors to incite violence as the nation prepares for elections next month. The organization emphasizes the importance of the youth’s role in contributing to a peaceful electoral process, which is vital for the country’s stability and their future leadership potential.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Kwaku Krobea Asante, Senior Programme Officer for Institutional Development at MFWA, advised young people against engaging in violence, warning that it could tarnish their reputations and hinder future opportunities in political offices. Speaking at a Regional Youth Dialogue organized by MFWA in Kumasi, he urged participants to be advocates for peace rather than instruments of violence.
The event, themed ‘Peace Building: The Role of the Youth in Contributing to Peaceful 2024 Elections in Ghana,’ aimed to educate the youth on the significance of peace ahead of the elections. It was att
ended by representatives from various political parties, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), as well as members of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC and the Tertiary Students Confederacy of the NPP.
Mr. Krobea Asante urged participants to avoid actions that could lead to national unrest in the name of supporting their political parties. He also highlighted the dangers of misinformation and disinformation in electoral processes, encouraging the youth to verify information before sharing it, especially on social media.
He warned against the manipulation of information, such as cropping photos or selectively quoting statistics, to mislead for personal interests. ‘This way, we can collectively contribute to information hygiene, which is critical to credible and violent-free elections,’ he noted.
Rev. Emmanuel Badu Amoah, Regional Exe
cutive Secretary of the National Peace Council (NPC), also spoke at the event, urging all Ghanaians to prioritize peace and security for national development. He emphasized the role of the youth in ensuring peaceful elections and fostering political participation, conflict resolution, and peace mediation. Rev. Amoah highlighted the need to avoid hate speech and maintain Ghana’s reputation as a beacon of democracy in the region.