TEMA: Ms Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), provided sensitisation for members of the Tema Joint Church congregation at Community Seven, on the upcoming general elections by promoting peace and responsible civic conduct. The engagement forms part of the church's Ladies' Fellowship 30th Anniversary Celebration. According to Ghana News Agency, Ms Addy stated that the NCCE was an independent constitutional body established under Chapter 19 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, with the mandate to promote and sustain democracy and inculcate in the Ghanaian citizenry the awareness of their rights and obligations through civic education. She highlighted the key issues of money in politics and vote buying, misinformation, disinformation and fake news, electoral violence, and religious tolerance that needed to be examined. She expressed concern about the increasing issue of money in politics, where politicians prioritised financial incentives over policy promises to g ain electoral support. Ms Addy cautioned that vote-buying undermined democratic principles as it risked allowing money to determine leadership instead of merit. The NCCE, she revealed, was actively educating citizens to reject vote-buying and instead demand clear visions and policies from political candidates. Ms Addy stressed that unchecked practices could lead to selling the country to the highest bidder and urged citizens to make informed choices based on candidate merit rather than monetary offers. She also reminded the congregation of Ghana's history of political tensions and cautioned against worsening divisions through inciteful utterances and confrontations. She noted the importance of maintaining peace in the country, highlighting that neighbouring nations experiencing turmoil should serve as reminders of societal breakdown consequences. Ms Addy appealed to the congregation to act as ambassadors for peace, recognising that those who incite violence and tension were often people within their own com munities, stressing the importance of preserving Ghana as a safe, stable country for future generations. On misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, she noted the prevalence of such issues in today's internet-driven age, particularly on social media. She cautioned that people must be wary of sharing unverified information, as it could contribute to a cycle of negative reactions and societal harm. Ms Addy encouraged the public to avoid forwarding or sharing misleading, divisive, and defamatory information, urging them to question the validity of information before sharing to help curb the spread of falsehoods and prevent manipulation by individuals with harmful agendas. The NCCE chairperson called on Ghanaians to maintain the country's long-standing religious tolerance reputation, especially during the election period. She commended the collective agreement among leaders from various faiths, especially Christian and Muslim communities, to resist any divisions on religious grounds, noting that divisions based on faith lead to societal misery rather than progress. Ms Addy encouraged the public to become active citizens beyond the election, stressing that they must actively participate in community discussions, hold leaders accountable, and contribute meaningfully to Ghana's democratic and developmental progress. Source: Ghana News Agency