NCCE Cautions Chiefs On Active Partisan Politics

Mr Laary Bimi, Chairman of the National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE) on Tuesday said chiefs should respect the Constitution and refrain from making political pronouncements openly, an act the 1992 Constitution frowns on. The NCCE chairman noted that the recent development where some chiefs were openly dabbling in active partisan politicks was a recipe for disaster and must be stopped immediately. "Any chief who is interested in active politics must do the honourable thing by renouncing the chieftaincy title and join the political party" of his or her choice. Speaking at the launching of activities earmarked for the 8th National Constitution Week, Mr Bimi appealed to chiefs to stay out of active partisan politics but if they felt strongly “to actively get involved then let us move for the amendment of the Constitutional provisional debarring chiefs from active politics." Mr. Bimi cautioned politicians against allowing the euphoria of political rallies to tempt them in making wild statements that they could not substantiate. He asked the Media not to act as public relations officers of their parties in their reportage but he assed; "You must not undress in public and wish that the Media will cover your nakedness". Mrs. Augustina Akosua Akumanyi, NCCE Deputy Commissioner in-charge of Administration said NCCE, in collaboration with the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) have initiated moves to come out with the Code of Conduct for Political Parties contesting Election 2008. The code would be out-doored on May 4 this year after the review meeting of Election 2004 Political Parties Code of Conduct by the various political stakeholders, including all the political parties, EC, NCCE, IEA and other democratic institutions was completed. Mrs. Akumanyi said the process involved measures to ensure that this year's general election were free from intimidation and political antagonism. She said the Commission would use the Constitution to intensify education on the Public Order Act and the Political Parties Act to ensure that acts of intimidation and provocation, the use of insulting language and violence, were not repeated during the process leading to the general election. The code, according to Mr Bimi would enjoin all parties and their agents to avoid defamatory, derogatory and insulting attacks on rival parties or individual personalities by any form of communication, written or verbal. Mr. Bimi urged all political leaders to tolerate and respect the rights and freedoms of other political parties to disseminate their manifestos without intimidation and violence and respect the electorate and other members by addressing them in decent, civil and truthful language. Political parties should educate their followers to conduct themselves in civil and morally acceptable manner, educate their rank and file on existing electoral laws, rules and regulations and avoid gender, ethnic or religious derogatory remarks, he emphasised.