Reject nation-wrecking politicians who clash heads using religion – NCCE boss

The chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, has called on the public to reject candidates who campaign based on religion to gain votes in the upcoming December elections.

According to the NCCE chair, candidates who focus on religion in their campaigns may not have the public’s best interest in mind.

With the two most populous political parties presenting Muslim and Christian flagbearers, she said, campaigns along religious and ethnic lines could destabilise the country.

Madam Addy was speaking at the launch of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committees in Accra.

“It is our hope that it will not happen that somebody will stand somewhere and urge people to vote for them on the basis of religion or urge people to not vote for others on the basis of religion. If people do that, we will call them out and tell them they are nation-wreckers. We are also paying close attention to religious intolerance and ethnic-based campaigns that are divisive and that do not augur well for us.

“The ethnic-based campaigns are something that we see popping up during most elections. It is a very unhealthy practice and we hope that as time goes on, as we deepen and mature in our democracy, we will see less and less of that,” she said.

She added, “Now people want to couch messages in terms of religion – why one person should vote for one type of religion or another person should not vote for one type of religion. Let me restate here that when political actors come to you and say vote for me on the basis of this religion or don’t vote for somebody else on the basis of this religion, you must know that the person does not have your interest at heart.”

Madam Addy touched on the dangers of vote buying and warned that the practice could threaten the country’s democracy.

“The demand and supply of money in the political campaigns, we are seeing more and more of tha this year. It is worrying. It is disturbing, and it is a very negative development and unfortunate. As we grow in our democracy, we should be getting stronger. The democratic culture should be rooted. We should move away from any negative things. When it comes to money and politics, it looks like the more we mature in democracy, the more we make it about money. This is completely wrong and very dangerous.”