The
National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) recently concluded a ten-day civic
and voter education exercise for 20 communities in the Central River Region
(CRR) North, as part of their constitutional mandate to educate the citizenry
about their democratic rights.
The
sensitization activities held in Sami, Niani, Nianija, Upper Saloum and Lower
Saloum districts respectively, were organized in collaboration with the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking
at Karantaba Wollof, Yusupha Bojang, programme officer at NCCE, said the NCCE
aims at engaging, educating and deepening the understanding of citizens on
their civic rights, as well as empower citizens to actively participate in the
governance process of the country.
Mr
Bojang noted that politics is not about violence or using words that would
cause chaos in the country and, therefore, urged people not to allow politics
to bring division among them.
He
also called on the electorate not to sell their votes.
Bojang
urged women and youths to change their attitude towards elections.
He
further urged all those that have met the requirements to cast their votes on
election days to do so, saying the development they get is as a result of them
casting their votes.
Kebba
O. Jobe, NCCE civic officer, said peace and stability obtains only in countries
that hold elections regularly and, therefore, urged citizens to exercise their
civic rights by casting their votes to ensure they have peace and stability in
the country.
“Citizens’
needs can only be met when they have a president,” he went on, saying every
citizen has the right to association, assembly and conscience.
Mr
Jobe also called on citizens to hold authorities accountable.
Ansumana
Yabo, also a civic officer at the NCCE, pointed out that people value
presidential elections more than the national assembly and council elections,
and he urged them to change their attitude as all are meant to bring
development to the nation.
Amadou
Sallah, a native of Renery Wollof, commended the NCCE for their work, as well
as empowering them with knowledge that would be beneficial to them during
elections.
Musa
Cham, also a native of Nenery Wollof, said they have better known their rights
as citizens, but also appealed to the IEC to provide them with a polling
station in their village.
Dawda
Njie, a native of Jamali Ganyado, said his understanding is that the poor
turnout during elections is as a result of the overcrowding of people at
polling stations, as some people have to queue the whole day without being able
to vote, as well as also walking kilometers to access a polling station to
vote.
Meanwhile,
similar sensitization sessions were held in the villages of Jarumeh Koto,
Barajally Suba, Sukuta, Kuntaur Wharf Town, Dingirai, Chamen, Conteh, Sare
Alpha, Niorro Buba, Njaw Sawalo, Bati Jamagen, and Panchang Wharf town, Njaw
Sikunda, Kaur Touray Kunda, Balanghar Kerr Nderry, Balanghar Hoi and Kerr
Maila.
