The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has moved to defend its recent decision to ban all debates organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the 13 constituencies in the Accra Metropolis.
According to the AMA, the decision is to ensure peace in the metropolis before, during and after the December polls.
The Public Relations Officer of the Assembly, Numo Blafo told Citi News that the assembly has not banned political rallies but debates that are likely to gather supporters of the various political parties at a common venue.
He said, such gatherings were a recipe for violence.
“The rallies have not been suspended, they still do their rallies, but what will bring all of them together, like the debate. When you bring them, at one particular spot, for the debate and if during the debate there is a misunderstanding, and that misunderstanding will lead to the loss of lives or will lead to some unfortunate things, do we have to continue that way?” he said.
‘Ban not exclusive to NCCE’
Numo Blafo further stated that the AMA’s ban was not exclusive to debated organized by the NCCE alone but on those to planned to be organized by other Civil Society Organizations and individuals within the metropolis.
‘NCCE surprised by ban on debates’
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has said it is surprised by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s (AMA) decision to ban parliamentary debates in all the thirteen constituencies within the metropolis.
The Commission which has planned a series of parliamentary debates ahead of this year’s election has seen some of the debates marred by violence and disagreements by supporters of political parties, a development the AMA says is off great concern.
The assembly’s metropolitan Security Council, in a statement issued on Friday [November 11] said, “In light of the recent upheavals, METSEC has directed the immediate suspension of all parliamentary political debates being organized by the NCCE in all thirteen (13) constituency in the Accra metropolis.”
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana