The citizenry have been admonished to develop interest in the security of the State and not to turn a blind eye to issues that have the potential to threaten national security, peace and stability.
They must be proactive by alerting the appropriate authorities as a matter of urgency and save the nation from looming dangers of insecurity and instability.
Michael Boahene, the Sekyere East District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who made the call, said the security of the state was a civic responsibility of every citizen.
He was addressing participants of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) on violent extremism as part of a campaign being spearheaded by the Commission to sensitise and educate the public on national cohesion, peaceful co-existence and inclusive participation.
With funding from the European Union (EU), the campaign was being implemented by the Commission and the Ministry of National Security on the theme: ‘Empowering Ghanaians to stand for national cohesion and inclusive participation’ which was attended by representatives from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and other stakeholders.
Mr Boahene cautioned that it was imperative as citizens to be interested in the stability of the state because no meaningful business could not be conducted in a chaotic country and encouraged them to report suspicious characters in their communities to foil any sinister plot they might want to carry out against innocent Ghanaians.
“Article 41(I) of the 1992 Constitution enjoined the citizenry to co-operate with law enforcement agencies in the maintenance of law and order and we must act in accordance with the constitutional provision,” he noted.
Akua Zakaria, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of NCCE, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment, dedication and determination to safeguarding the country’s fledgling democratic dispensation and called on citizens to live up to their civic responsibilities and be law abiding.
She entreated the participants to share the discussions with their respective groups to achieve the needed impact.
Chief Superintendent Francis Boasiako and Eugene Adams,the District Police Commander and the District Officer of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB)respectively, took the participants through the Public Order Act 91 and the National Security Framework for fighting violent extremism respectively. -GNA
