Keta: The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has brought its cinema van to Keta, aiming to engage residents on the importance of peaceful elections scheduled for December. The initiative took place on Wednesday night at Tettekope in the Vui Electoral area within the Keta Municipality, drawing a crowd of both children and adults to the community center to witness a series of videos highlighting the consequences of war and civil unrest.
According to Ghana News Agency, the NCCE believes that this simulation will provide voters with insights into the necessity of choosing peace over violent behaviors. The program featured movies and documentaries on election violence, including ‘Cry Freetown,’ a documentary depicting the harrowing experiences of victims during the 1999 Sierra Leone War, capturing some of the conflict’s most brutal moments.
Madam Irene Minston-Amihere, Assistant Director of Programmes at NCCE Accra, informed GNA that the initiative was designed to educate the public to avoid election
violence and instead foster a peaceful environment. She mentioned that the area was strategically selected due to its identification as one of the flashpoints in the region, emphasizing the importance of showing voters the dire outcomes of war and civil unrest as a catalyst for embracing peace.
Additionally, Madam Amina Amadu, Assistant Director at NCCE Accra, encouraged the youth, particularly first-time voters, to base their voting decisions on issues. She conducted a demonstration on correctly thumbprinting on the ballot paper, aiming to reduce the incidence of rejected ballots this election year. Participants who attended the cinema expressed their empathy towards the violent scenes depicted, vowing to refrain from any actions that could lead to civil unrest.
The Cinema Van Show is a mobile movie van initiative by the commission, designed to broadcast films and documentaries on civic issues to the public. The event in Keta was coordinated by the Keta secretariat of the NCCE, led by Madam Lina Bensah, wh
o facilitated the activities and educational efforts. Similar shows have previously been held at Lashibi community in Anloga District and Agbozume lorry park in Ketu South Districts.