President Akufo-Addo thinks the time has come for the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) to develop and build a strong culture of awareness among Ghanaians.
He believes this would make then know more about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
This was when he swore in the new Chairperson of the NCCE, Kathleen Addy at the Jubilee House Thursday evening.
This task, he said, has become even more necessary and important now than ever before in the country since some irresponsible citizens have decided to descended to lowly levels of calling for the overthrow of the prevailing constitutional order.
Referring to Article 233 of the 1992 constitution which bothers on the functions of the NCCE, the President emphasized on clause (C) of Article 233, which states that the NCCE shall; “formulate for the consideration of government, from time to time, programmes at the national, regional and district levels aimed at realising the objectives of the Constitution.”
Even though he admitted that since its establishment some 30 years ago, the NCCE has done its part in helping Ghanaians realise the importance of their freedoms and civic rights, President Akufo-Addo thinks it can still do much better in this regard.
Despite concerns raised in some quarters about the effectiveness of the NCCE in the discharge of its functions, with some going so far as to advocating for it abolishing, President Akufo-Addo was of a different view.
“I am of a different opinion; I believe the NCCE continues to be relevant and still has an important role to play in helping to establish a culture of awareness in our country in where citizens are alive to their civic responsibilities and duties, especially at this time when some irresponsible elements within the body politic, are calling for the overthrow of the constitutional order”, he opined.
President Akufo-Addo, however, gave his word that his administration, will not interfere with the independence of the NCCE as stipulated in the 1992 constitution of the Republic.
“I assure you madam chairperson of the government’s recognition as enshrined in Act 452, of the independence of the NCCE”, he said.
He also charged the new NCCE boss to make stakeholder consultation a top priority of the NCCE.
That, according to him, will go a long way to influence the ability of the Commission to execute its mandate.
Kathleen Addy, the new NCCE boss who until her appointment to a substantive position was the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission on her part expressed profound appreciation to the President for the confidence reposed in her.
She described the Commission as one of the most important institutions in the country, tasked with the responsibility of sharpening the minds of the people and building the people that will build the country.
“I assure you, Mr. President, that I will lead the Commission to fulfill its mandate and to undertake its functions as prescribed by the constitution. Myself, the commissioners, directors, and staff of NCCE will do our best in executing our heavy mandate” she gave her word.
President Akufo-Addo, acting in line with Article 232 of the 1992 constitution and Section 4 (a) of the National Commission for Civil Education (NCCE) Act 1993 (Act 452), appointed Kathleen as acting chair of the NCCE on the 1 May 2022.
She took over the position from Josephine Nkrumah, who resigned on 21 February, with an effective date of 30 April 2022.
Josephine Nkrumah resigned from the NCCE to take up a new role as the special representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to Liberia.
*Kathleen Addy*
The new NCCE chair holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Ghana and a Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Ghana School of Communications Studies.
She was Communications Manager for the Afrobarometer project at the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, and has worked with other civil society organisations in Ghana.
She was previously a research and communications officer at the Centre for Policy Analysis, focusing on women’s economic empowerment and economic partnership agreements.
Through international trade, Kathleen Addy has worked on projects in domestic violence, gende, and economic development.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent