The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has engaged first-time voters at Zuarangu Senior High School on voter influence and the need to maintain credibility and integrity while casting their votes in the December 7 general elections.
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition is a civil society organization committed to promoting anti-corruption and good governance initiatives in Ghana through capacity-building, research, and advocacy interventions by engaging coalition members and other key stakeholders at regional, national, and international levels.
The Upper East Regional Focal Person for the coalition, Mr. Anafo Emmanuel, indicated that first-time voters are sometimes naïve, and politicians often take advantage of this by influencing them with gifts to vote in their favor. This, he said, highlights the need for the coalition to engage with them and encourage them to resist any attempts by politicians to influence their votes with gifts.
Mr. Anafo added that corruption deprives a nation of the development it needs, and exposing young people to these realities helps them make choices based on competence.
He explained the rationale behind the initiative, saying, “Going into the 9th election on December 7, we saw the need to engage first-time voters, who are likely to experience voter anxiety, and to encourage them to cast their votes with integrity. So, we came up with an initiative to reach out to youth groups, especially those in senior high schools. We have conducted similar workshops in three different senior high schools. Our last session was at Tongo Senior High School, and today we are at Zuarangu Senior High School.
“We know that Ghanaian politics can be tricky. There will likely be attempts to influence this group of voters, as they are vulnerable and participating for the first time. It is crucial to empower them to vote confidently and with integrity. The first time of anything is not always easy. We chose our audience carefully because if a politician were to attempt to influence voters, they would likely target the inexperienced first-time voters rather than the seasoned ones. Adding credibility to our elections is vital to ensure that the right leaders are chosen by the people, not through external influences.”
Some first-time voters shared their views with A1 News:
“My name is Aloti Jessica. It’s my first time voting. I’m so excited because I want to take part in the development of my country, and I want to vote for the right people who can help develop our country. I expect the elected leaders to improve my school by providing essentials such as water, toilets, dormitories, furniture, and quality food.”
“My name is Azoda Amina. I will be happy to vote because I know that if I vote for the right candidate and they win, they will make Ghana proud and come to help us. Every day we have to queue just to attend to nature’s call. If the right person comes into power, they will come and make changes in our school for us.”
Another student said: “I’m having mixed feelings about being a first-time voter. They say one vote can make you win, and one vote can make you lose. I’m going to vote for the candidate I think can do the job. My school lacks a lot of logistics, including toilet facilities, a library, and an assembly hall. We urge the next president of Ghana, whether from the NPP, NDC, or any other party, to come to our aid and help us.”
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