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DAN KWAKU Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, has sounded a word of caution to Ghanaians, advising them not to take the 2012 general elections for granted because anything could happen. According to Mr. Botwe, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would not allow the ruling government to take the law into its hands towards the up-coming general elections, and so Ghanaians, especially the youth should be vigilant. The MP made this statement at a Youth for Peace Forum on Tuesday, themed �Our Call: Youth, Ensure Peace� which was organized by UNESCO, in collaboration with Youth Bridge Foundation, Youth Empowerment Network Foundation and SpeakAfrica Foundation. The forum was aimed at engaging the youth and educating them on their rights, conflicts causes and resolution, and tolerance and acceptance of cultural diversity. According to Mr. Botwe, some Ghanaians had taken certain things for granted because of the exemplary tolerance, maturity and respect for the rule of law that most of the citizens demonstrated during the 2008 elections, which helped sustain peace and unity in the country. Mr. Botwe therefore stressed the need for Ghanaians, particularly the youth to stand for the truth no matter the cost. �You should not allow yourselves to be used anyhow by any politician, be it NPP, National Democratic Congress (NDC) or any member of any of the political parties in the country,� he stated. He indicated that the NDC had constantly perpetuated lies since its inception into office �a sign showing clearly that the 2012 election is going to be tough.� He, however, stressed the need for Ghanaians to stop creating the impression that Ghana was a peaceful country and that no matter what happened, no conflict could take place. He noted that though Ghanaians must try to exercise maximum restraint to ensure peaceful co-existence among themselves, they should try to find ways to ensure that the right thing was done. There is no reason why someone should not fight for the right to prevail; �that is where the danger lies.� �We should understand that it is just not enough to preach peace, but ensure that the right thing is done,� Mr. Botwe stated. According to him, the major challenge of most Ghanaians was that people compromised no matter the circumstances; however, people should learn to stand up against lies, as that could lead to something else. To facilitate peace in the country during the 2012 election, there was the need for the youth in the country to start championing for the truth. In a keynote address, Zariatu Alhassan, communication and advocacy officer of RAINS, a non governmental organization, called on the youth to learn to understand the concept of the manifestoes of the various political parties. Various speakers at the forum, including George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, National Media Commission, Ghana, stressed the need for Ghanaians, particularly the youth to engage themselves positively at their prime age and not waste their energies on unproductive activities. The forum and workshops brought together the youth from different parts of the country, to deliberate on their role in ensuring peace during an election year in particular, and the general political environment. The forum was held in the context of the pending general elections next year.