More public education needed to stop vote-buying – Savannah Region MP

Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Be-Awuribe has called for stronger public education to help tackle vote buying, saying an informed electorate must play a leading role in resisting attempts to influence voters with money.

According to him, educating citizens about the value of their votes and encouraging them to challenge electoral inducements could help protect Ghana’s democratic process from the growing influence of money.

Speaking to JoyNews at the ‘Democracy Is Not For Sale’ programme in Damongo, Mr Be-Awuribe said the public must not remain passive in the face of vote buying.

“When the public is well educated and they themselves rise up to the challenge, then we may be far from being in the situation that we are in,” he said on Sepetember 25.

He said the responsibility for tackling vote buying should not rest solely with politicians and law enforcement agencies, stressing that citizens themselves have an important role to play in rejecting attempts to influence their electoral choices with money.

Mr Be-Awuribe commended civil society organisations and media houses for bringing the issue to public attention and contributing to discussions on the impact of money on electoral processes.

Mr Be-Awuribe further called on citizens to reject attempts by individuals to influence electoral outcomes through financial inducements, stressing that the public must take an active role in confronting vote buying.

“The public should revolt against them and know that their conscience cannot be bought,” he said.

Mr Be-Awuribe maintained that sustained public education and citizen participation are crucial to safeguarding the integrity of Ghana’s electoral processes.