The United States (US) Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan, has paid a courtesy call on the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to discuss ways both institutions can explore to work together to enhance governance and Ghana’s democracy. The Ambassador was accompanied by the Director for Democracy and Governance at the United States Embassy, Audra Lykos.
The Chairman of the NCCE, Ms. Josephine Nkrumah, on behalf of her team expressed gratitude to the Ambassador for the visit. Ms. Nkrumah spoke on the history, mandate, objectives and work of the Commission. She also explained the structure, strategies and programmes which the Commission uses to reach out to the citizens of Ghana. “Our main target is the youth because we believe they are the main agents of change”, she said.
The US Ambassador, Stephanie S. Sullivan, thanked the NCCE for the warm welcome. She stated that the US is interested in strengthening institutions with the objective of increasing US/Ghana Trade Relationship, Improving Regional Security and Governance, Democracy and Peace. According to her, the little effort every citizen
makes towards building the nation would go a long way to reduce the burden on the Government and empower the citizenry to work in the interest of their future and the nation at large.
The NCCE Deputy Chairman of Finance and Administration, Ms. Kathleen Addy, noted that one of the strengths of the NCCE is its presence in all parts of the country. This, she said facilitates information sharing and dissemination and helps the Commission deliver on its mandate.
Ms. Addy also stressed on the importance of institution and citizens building between electoral cycles, as nation-building does not rest solely on elections. “Everyone talks about the democracy of Ghana and we are proud of it but the institutions that are in charge of activities before and after elections should not be neglected” she added.
In conclusion, Ms. Nkrumah indicated that the objectives of the US Embassy in Ghana fall within the mandate of the Commission. She added that discussions held were fruitful and will pave the way for further engagements towards collaboration in the future that would be beneficial to both countries.
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