Ghanaians urged to use social media to promote peace

Ghanaians have been asked to use the social media positively to promote peace, unity and harmony in the country, instead of disseminating falsehood that creates fear and panic in the society.
Mr Kumi Nkansah, the Social Media Manager of YFM, made the request in Takoradi at the Second Edition of YFM’s Election Dialogues dubbed: “Vote on Issues.”
It was aimed at sensitising the electorate to vote for political parties and candidates that have policies and programmes that would accelerate national development.
The event was organised by YFM, a local radio station, in collaboration with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, Global Media Alliance and Happy FM and funded by STAR-Ghana.
Mr Nkansah encouraged Ghanaians to use the social media to disseminate important information such as the C.I 94, the legislation governing this year’s elections, as well as the political parties’ manifestoes, instead of promoting hate speech.
He advised the electorate to desist from using their smart phones to take photographs of their ballot papers indicating, which particular candidate or political party they voted for and post them on the social media because it was an electoral offence punishable by law.
Mr Nkansah said the social media was a powerful tool that could either impact the electoral process positively or negatively and, therefore, encouraged Ghanaians to rather use it to advocate development in their communities.
Mr Samuel Harrison Cudjoe, a Research Officer at the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, entreated the electorate to refrain from taking gifts from politicians in a bid to vote for them.
He said they should rather vote for those that had the right policies and plans to enhance their livelihoods to transform the economy for the better.
He warned the youth to desist any form of electoral fraud or violence such as stuffing of the ballot box with foreign materials and snatching the ballot box since culprits would be arrested and prosecuted.
He charged the Election Management Body which is constitutionally mandated to supervise and conduct the elections to ensure a level playing ground to ensure free and fair polls so that all the interest groups would accept the outcome of the elections.
The function was attended by Mr. Joseph Cudjoe the incumbent New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Effia Constituency, as well as Mr. Michael Otoo, the National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate for Effia and Mr. Daniel Essuman, the Progressive People’s Party parliamentary candidate for Sekondi.
GNA