Youth wings of political parties advocate for peaceful elections

Youth wings of political Parties in the country have added their voices to the need for all parties to be circumspect in their utterances and not to do anything to mar the forthcoming general elections.      They further called on all stakeholders including the Electoral Commission, the Security Agencies and the Media among others, who had a crucial role to play in ensuring peaceful elections to operate within the confines of the rules of electoral procedures in the country.     They made the call in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, at a forum, under the theme "Youth for Peaceful Election 2008."      It was organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), a German institution that seeks to promote and strengthen democracy as well as good governance in Ghana.      Facilitators spoke on topics including Tolerance; a means of achieving political Excellence, Political Discipline: Conduit for Violence-Free Elections, Averting Conditions Militating against a free Political Atmosphere and the Prerogative of the Ghanaian Youth.      They facilitators included Mr James Kwabena Bomfeh Junior, National Youth Organizer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Mr Ludwing Hlodze, Deputy Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Emmanuel Wilson, Youth Organizer of the People's National Convention (PNC) and Mr Eric Mensah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).  The speakers condemned the recent political violence by the two main parties, the NDC and the NPP, in Tamale and said Ghana could not afford to experience such acts in the forthcoming election.      They asked Ghanaians to take a cue from neighboring countries, which had experienced violence during their elections and that the youth in the country should never allow the impending election to be marred by conflicts.      They appealed to traditional authorities to educate their subjects to stay away from people who would want to use them to cause violence to achieve their selfish interests.      The youth, they noted, should constantly preach peaceful messages and stay away from conflicts to ensure peaceful election.      The occasion was also used to launch the Regional Inter-Party Youth Committee (IPYC) aimed at addressing issues affecting the youth and other national interests.      Launching the IPYC, the Programme Manager of FES, Ms Dela Folie, urged the youth to be ambassadors of peace and to discuss issues that are of national interests.      She said the youth had a significant role to play in national development and should not do anything that would negatively affect the country's quest for development. GNA