THE ROLE OF THE GHANAIAN YOUTH IN A PEACEFUL 2012 GENERAL ELECTIONS

In a country of about 24 million population, Ghana is made up of about 60 percent youth. The youth can be defined in a broad sense as people between the ages of 15 and 35. However, the United Nations also gives a vivid definition of the youth as people from 10 to 24 years of age. In Ghana, democratic elections are held every four years, on December 7, to change government or to reinstate an incumbent one, and the youth play a pivotal role in the electioneering process. The youth,which mostly forms part of the active population in the country, plays diverse roles when it comes to the development of the country. The youth are often seen organising clean-up exercises and taking part in other productive and educational activities. In the same way, the enthusiasm and potentials of the youth can be employed in ensuring a peaceful general election this year.

Many would have thought that it is mainly the youth that are involved in violent and destructive acts throughout the country in times of election but the fact cannot be played down that it is the majority of the youth that can be mobilised to promote long lasting peace before, during and after the 2012 general elections. In this article, we would look at some of the vital roles that the youth can play in promoting a peaceful election this year.

One influential venture the youth can take is to educate the people on the need to observe a peaceful elections. This can be done by organising seminars, workshops and community gatherings at towns and villages on the need for a peaceful general election. This education can be done by the youth through various means like writing articles to the various newspapers, creating awareness on the other media like the television, radio and the internet as well as the production and distribution of handouts, booklets and flyers to preach about the need for peace in our country.

The youth can also become ambassadors of peace to prevent chaos before, during and after the elections. Football stars, musicians, actors and actresses, who mainly are youth, can take the initiative of pledging and making declarations to promote a conflict- free elections. Football matches involving these celebrities can also be organised to campaign for a peaceful elections.

In another way, the youth can volunteer to take effective part in electoral processes. They can do this by willingly helping the Electoral Commission at the various polling stations especially those at the rural areas. At these areas, the youth can serve as polling agents and security personnel who would help in one way or the other by supervising and ensuring that the electorates would have a successful voting process. They can also assist the electorates who may be ignorant of the electoral procedures.

Campaign messages of the various political parties especially those involving the youth should be strictly devoid of insults and unwholesome comments. Since the essence of most campaigns is to draw votes for the party, the political heads, who would aspire for peace to prevail, should warn their spokes personnel who usually go on TV and radio, to desist from the use of vulgar languages in campaign messages.

Youthful card-bearing members of the various political parties should be made to sign bonds which would restrict them from involving themselves in violent acts which in turn may result in conflict. In relation, the polling agents should be made to sign bonds which would prevent them from engaging in any act which seeks to favour a group of people or a political party during the election.

The youth in the security service who are assigned to the various polling stations around the country should be made to take bonds. These bonds when taken would make them more committed and would restrict them from taking part in some unscrupulous activities which may include assaulting and maltreating voters of some political parties and also from taking bribes. These documented, signed bonds, endorsed by higher authorities could come with their own consequencies when defaulted. These consequencies may include dismissal from their jobs and imprisonment.

Comportment by all youth at the various polling stations would serve as a very vital role in the 2012 general elections. The youth should try as much as possible to obey all rules and regulations governing the elections. The youth should also co-operate with the polling agents and the security personnel in order to make their work more easy and efficient. When these have been ensured, it would prevent the emergence of election malpractices and hence would help to bring about the much desired peaceful elections.

The much anticipated results of the 2012 general elections should be accepted in good faith by Ghanaians especially our young people. Since the youth forms part of the active population and plays a vital role in active politics, most political leaders may sometimes use them for illegal activities. The youth should accept whoever emerges the as the victor in good faith. Then there would be long lasting peace after December 7, since most of the political leaders may not get the chance to use the youth to satisfy their parochial interest in the elections.

In conclusion, the Ghanaian youth should not underestimate themselves but rather see themselves as an influential part of the nation’s population who can largely maintain the international reputation of Ghana as a peaceful and democratic country even as we yearn to observe another crucial moment of peaceful elections coming December 7.

It is undoubtedly the hope of all that Ghana would not take after some African countries who have experienced situations of war and conflicts following the declaration of election results. We therefore entreat all citizens especially the young Ghanaian to play all roles expected of him or her to ensure a violent free 2012 general elections.

                                                                      By: Addai Thomas, Eva Kuupoolo and Codjoe Prince

                                                                                             Ghana Institute of Journalism

                                                                                                       Level 100A