The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Ghana has expressed concern over the deepening culture of monetisation of politics as the country prepares for the 2024 General Election. The NCCE has observed that the issue of vote-buying during elections has become not only a supply problem but voters also demanded money from politicians before they exercised their civic responsibility.
The Chairperson of NCCE, Ms Kathleen Addy, described the vote-buying phenomenon as an existential threat to Ghana’s democracy. She stated, “We are at a point where a major criterion for getting elected into public office is the candidates’ ability to dole out cash to voters. It is time to own up to this terrible practice and commit to ending it. If we don’t end it, it will end us.
She further added, “If we only elect those who can distribute hard cash and gifts, we run the risk of exposing ourselves to the dark and dirty money readily available in the world and we will sell our country to forces we cannot even begin to imagine.”
The NCCE is poised to effectively deliver on its mandate and educate citizens extensively to make informed choices in the December 7 polls. The Commission has set to operate and engage the citizenry on the theme: “Together we can build Ghana, so get involved.
Ms Addy urged voters to reject politicians that would stoke violence and appealed to politicians to put the country first in their engagements with the electorate. She also appealed to the media to refrain from using their platforms to spread misinformation, hate speech, personal attacks, and divisive utterances.
