EC advised women to mount campaign platforms devoid of insult and politics

Narration: Women contesting for this year’s Local Level and Unit Committee Elections have been urged to mount their campaign platforms effectively devoid of violent and insult. The Deputy Upper East Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Azu Bosco, made the call at Bolgatanga during an interaction with some female aspirants contesting for the upcoming elections, schedule to take place in December, 28. The meeting which was being organized by the Local Civic Coalition of Grassroot Africa, an NGO forms part of efforts aimed at ensuring more women representation in the various district assemblies across the region. Isaac Asare was at the meeting and has filed this report for Radio Ghana.
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Report:
The Local Civic Coalition (LCC) of Grassroot Africa, is an institutional body of Grassroot Africa, a non-governmental organization working towards the promotion of good governance through citizen’s participation in the decision making process. The LCC works with core groups in the various area and town councils and also brings civic groups together under one umbrella. The aim is to help the disadvantaged in the promotion of decision making process at which women are the worst victims. The meeting was therefore organized to lend female aspirants in the upcoming elections the needed support to beef up their electioneering campaigns. Mr. Azu Bosco, who is the Deputy Regional Director of the EC, encouraged female candidates in the respective electoral areas to mount their campaign platforms devoid of insult and intimidation against their fellow contestants in order not to put them at the disadvantage. He said even though the region has recorded low female representation in the upcoming event, much has to be done to ensure that the few are given the mandate to serve their communities. Mr. Bosco however, charged the various NGOs to financially assist the women in their campaign exercises. He said the EC has noted with concern threats and tactics used against female contestants during electioneering campaign and urged the women folks to exhibit professionalism, maturity and zeal in their campaign messages. He urged women contestants not to be discouraged but rather swallow the pill of every abusive comments and inflammatory speeches that they may encounter. Mr. Bosco also advised them to enrich their campaign messages with things that would bring about development to their constituents. Their messages, he reiterated, should centre on issues bordering on education, agriculture, health and sanitation among other developmental challenges. He reminded the public to vote for humble and respectful aspirants who are committed and have their communities at heart. The Capacity Building Officer of the Local Civic Coalition of Grassroot Africa, Mr. Godwin Yidana, said his outfit was poised to sponsoring female aspirants in the upcoming event to push forward their campaign, but was unable to do so due to timing and lack of funding, hence the rationale for bringing them together to share with them knowledge on how to conduct their campaigns. Mr. Yidana on behalf of Grassroot Africa later disbursed an amount of 100 Ghana Cedis to each female contestant present at the meeting and advised them to use the gesture for their intended purposes. He pledged his outfit’s continuous support for women in the promotion of good governance and challenged them to master courage by competing with their male counterparts boot for boot. Mr. Yidana advised Ghanaians to avoid all forms of election malpractice in order not to spark chaos at the community level and the nation at large and pledged support for women aspirants.