A centre for emotional intelligence coaching has called for emotional management before, during and after this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The Addison International Centre for Emotional Intelligence (AICEI), otherwise known as Addison International, says Ghanaians must not lose sight of the fact that even though tensions in election years in the country have not escalated to the level of national conflicts, there is the need to avoid political tension of even the smallest magnitude.
In a release, the centre says incidents involving even isolated insults, fights, acts showing lack of empathy and compassion towards others due to differences in political affiliations or ideologies still undermine the peaceful atmosphere of the country.
According to AICEI, these vices seem to have become acceptable because society equally seems to have lost the voice to condemn them, and perpetrators perpetuate them “because society has detached emotional intelligence from societal norms.”
Founder of AICEI, Mr James Kwesi Addison, said in the release that there was the need to avoid political tensions because they were fertile grounds for clashes that undermined the peaceful atmosphere for undertaking any activity in the society.
He said the youth had been identified as the group of people used to foment all manner of troubles in the country, especially in the run-up to elections.
Mr Addison, Ghana’s first certified EQ coach and master trainer, said his outfit and partners had therefore put together plans to run series of workshops and interactions with the youth and the elderly in various communities to press home the need for the youth to avoid any temptation to perpetrate violence, especially before, during and after Elections 2020.
He said since the AICEI could not run workshops across the country at the same time, it reasoned with its partners and came to the conclusion that the workshop should start in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District (AEED) of the Central Region.
Justifying the decision, he said from the perspective of Addison International, the clashes between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters during the voter registration in that district that doubles as a constituency were unexpected and unacceptable. One of the clashes nearly ended the life of a young man from Enyan Denkyira if not the timely intervention and support from Honourable Dr. Ato Forson, the Member of Parliament of the area.
It could be recalled that, the gentleman’s predicament caused some youth from Enyan Denkyira to call a presser at which they warned the NPP Parliamentary candidate, Dr Rashid Kwesi Etuaful, to render an apology to the youth of the town or risk coming to campaign there.
This development in turn caused the chiefs and elders of the town to also call a press conference to dissociate themselves from the warning from the youth and assured all political parties and their candidates of their freedom to campaign at Enyan Denkyira.
The workshop, which AICEI describes as a project, has as its theme “Youth in Peace-Building, Conflict Management and Prevention”. However, the sub-theme for the AEED one is “Community in Peace Building, Conflict Management and Prevention.”
Addison International says the overall objective of the workshops is to maintain the peace in the Ajumako Enyan Esiam District.
The first in the series in the district takes place at Enyan Maim on Sunday, October 25, 2020 from 3p.m to 6p.m. followed by the second at Enyan Abaasa on Tuesday, October 27, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Ajumako Traditional Area takes its turn at Ajumako, the district capital, on Friday, October 30, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon with that of Breman Essiam happening the same day from 3 p.m to 6p.m.
Enyan Denkyira comes in last on Tuesday, November 2, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
All the events involve drumming, dancing, poetry recitals, drama and speeches from chiefs, political players, opinion leaders from the area and others.
The main speakers include Okokodurfo Ogyeabo Kwamena, Omanhen of Efua Ajumako Traditional Area; Okofo Amoako Bondam III, Omanhen of Enyan Maim Traditional Area; Osabarima Otsibu VI, Omanhen of Enyan Denkyira Traditional Area; Osagyefo Kwame Akonu X, Omanhen of Enyan Abaasa Tradtional Area and Vice President of Central Regional House of Chiefs and Odeefuo Afankwa III; Omanhen of Breman Esiam Traditional Area.
The rest are Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, MP, Ajumako Enyan Essiam (NDC); Dr Kwesi Rashid Etuafual, Parliamentary candidate (NPP), Mr Ransford Nyarko, DCE-Ajumako Enyan Esiam, and James Kwesi Addison, CEO, Addison International.
The tagline for the speeches is “Together as one people, we stand for peace.”
Mr Addison said his outfit had targeted 1000 participants in all the five workshops, distributed as 150 youth and 50 elderly people in each one.
The lead consultant for the workshops is Mr Addison himself, having as his assistant Mr David Naboare, a mental health professional and student of University of Ghana pursuing health science education.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com
