National
Council for Civic Education (NCCE) has continued its civic and voter education
in earnest to sensitise the masses of our people about their rights and
obligations, as well as freedom and voting responsibility across the length and
breadth of the country.
From
the Central River Region (CRR) South and Upper River Region, the NCCE has now
reached out to the people of CRR North and North Bank Region, where 40
communities (20 from each of the two regions) are currently being sensitised on
their rights and responsibilities as citizens of this country.
This
is being done by the civic education council as the December 1 presidential
polls fast approach.
Such
a move by the NCCE would enable citizens to fully participate in the governance
process of the country, through the promotion of political and civic
consciousness.
The
exercise would, indeed, help greatly in putting the citizenry up to speed with
the nitty-gritty of especially the upcoming elections, as people are
enlightened on the essence to vote, to be voted for and to fully exercise their
universal suffrage in the democratic process of the country.
The
Gambia, it has been noted, has been experiencing low voter turnout over the
years in past elections. And one of the reasons for the voter apathy is lack of
adequate sensitization of the public of their civic responsibility to vote in
elections.
This
situation should, therefore, be reversed through constantly educating the
people, as the NCCE is doing, on their voting rights, and why such a right
should be exercised in choosing those they want to run the affairs of the
country.
The
women and the youth are especially challenged to change their attitude towards
politics, as they constitute the majority of the population, but “do not mostly
fully take part in politics”.
Adequate
civic education of a people brings peace and stability to a nation. Therefore,
such civic and voter education programmes should be enhanced and sustained for
peace, stability and progress to prevail at all times.
We
say bravo to the NCCE and all institutions and agencies supporting and
promoting civic and voter education in this country!
“Civic,
voter education key to successful elections”
The
Point
