Youth advised against financial inducement by politicians

Electorates, particularly students that have attained the voting age of 18 had been advised to shun self seeking politicians that induce people with money due to their vulnerability. Electorates should rather be conscious of such politicians and not give themselves up to be used as elements of violence during elections. The Secretary General of All -Africa Students Union (AANSU), Fred Awaah who gave the caution urged the voting population to look out for politicians that deal with issues and ideas. Mr.  Awaah was addressing a youth rally organized for selected senior high schools in the Upper East Region. The event which was held at Bolgatanga with focus on peace in the run up to the 2012 election was on the theme: “Deepening Ghana’s Democracy and Unity through Peaceful Elections: The Role of Youth and Students. Mr. Awaah said financial inducement was one of the major causes of electoral violence with the youth identified as the worst perpetrators of electoral misconduct.  The youth, he noted, constitute 60 percent of the entire African population and are the most vulnerable as far as financial inducement by politicians is concerned. Buttressing his point, Mr. Awaah said the youth most often are influenced by some desperate politicians with money to foment trouble during elections, citing instances in some war torn African countries, where majority of the youth are picked as child soldiers though it is not in their interest to be used as tools against their own people. Mr.  Awaah however cautioned the youth to be cautious of politicians that take advantage of their vulnerability to lure them into violence. He said the youth have the key responsibility of holding politicians to task since they have the right to question them on matters that border on the interest of the masses. Workable developmental policies, he however said should be the major priority concern of the youth and not monetary gains. He further cautioned the youth against political illiteracy and urged them to be on top of issues so that they cannot be cheated or misled by selfish politicians. In a solidarity message, the Regional Chairman, Local Council of Churches, Rev. Lazarus Akabure emphasized the need for political tolerance and peace co-existence before during and after the 2012 elections and advised the youth not to engage in violence activities. He also advised politicians and the mass media to be wary and selective in their utterances in order not to incite the youth into violence. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Edward Ayagle,  and a representative from the GES, Alexis Averu encourage students to form peace clubs and acknowledge the fact that peace is a collective effort and not the responsibility of government and the security agencies.

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