The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged school children and citizens to put the interest of Ghana first in all their dealings to deepen tolerance, unity and stimulate rapid development.

Mr Alex Sackey, Eastern Regional Director of NCCE, was addressing the pupils of Okorase Methodist 'A' Junior High School in the Akwapim North Municipality as part of this year's citizenship week celebration.

The NCCE seeks to reach students in 700 schools in the Eastern Region with the message to inculcate the spirit of good citizenship in children.

The objective is to ensure the children grow up to become responsible citizens in the spirit of oneness, patriotism, and unity.

The Citizenship Week Celebration is celebrated between May and June each year in basic schools nationwide.

This year's celebration was organized under the NCCE's continuous drive phrase, "catch them young" even in these abnormal times, particularly under COVID 19.

The theme aimed to instill and promote unity and national cohesion among the citizenry as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

The constitution enjoins the state to promote the integration of Ghanaians and prohibit discrimination and prejudice on grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed, or beliefs.

Mr Sackey urged the children to live in unity despite coming from different ethnic and religious backgrounds they all belonged to one country with a common destiny.

He said religious intolerance was a threat to national unity and cohesion and should be avoided irrespective of one's religion, saying, the 1992 constitution allowed every Ghanaian to practice the religion of their choice and that no religion was superior to the other.

He also urged them to respect the symbols of Ghana like the national flag and anthem, describing them as "two very important symbols that bind us together as one people."

He explained that the red colour in the national flag traditionally stands for "the blood of our ancestors," which he said reminded Ghanaians of the course of their history.