The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has sharply cautioned the youth to desist from engaging in violent acts ahead of the upcoming polls, insisting no presidential aspirant is worth dying for.
Addressing a cross section of youth groups in Kumasi on the platform of the National Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), the veteran publisher noted ‘no politician would send his children to cause confusion on the streets’.
Mr Pratt, therefore, advised that no youth dabbles in violence as a way of seeking to help their parties or candidates to get power.
According to him, politics was a game where ideas are sold out to the people, adding no violence should be attached in doing this.
NPP AND NDC:
Mr Pratt told the audience that both the New Patriotic Party(NPP), and the ruling National Democratic Congress, fundamentally were same in their approach to solving the myriad of challenges bedeviling the country.
Buttressing his point, the Insight Editor, recounted how the late Prof Mills when seeking political power promised to reduce petroleum products from the existing price at the time, but astronomically increased same when he was voted for in 2008.
This, he narrated was not something the late Prof Mills only did during his term in office since others before him had done same.
He, however, insisted the youth take time to sieve through the policy alternatives each party was bringing on board as mainstream campaign activities heats up from now till December where the elections would be held.
CALL FOR PEACE:
Speaking earlier at the function, Mr Michael Ampong, Executive Director of NYLF rallied political party agents to be decorous in their speech and conduct even as they sell their message to the public.
He posited the conduct of party heads has a way of influencing same from their supporters and sympathizers since whatever they as leaders do is seen by their followers as the right path or way to go.
”Go out and sell your policy alternatives but do so without any hate speech, tribal sentiments and indecent language”, the Executive Director stressed.
He charged the youth not to kowtow to the crumbs that are offered them by political misfits to foment trouble since any violence that ensues afterwards can curtail the rosy future they hope for.
CHARGE:
Chairing the event was Baffuor Kwame Kusi II, Otumfuo’s Ankobeahene, who rallied the youth to desist from political extremism, noting the Police and the Military had been empowered to deal ruthlessly with anyone found to be causing trouble ahead of the polls.
He cautioned the media not to offer their platforms as instruments for the churning of hate speech, tribalism and indecent language.
”Play your part as moderators of information and never allow politicians to use your platforms as avenues for the stirring of confusion”, the Ankobeahene stated.
