Peace is an essential commodity - NCCE

Agona-Akwanta(W/R), Nov. 13, GNA – Peace is an essential commodity that Ghanaians must continue to uphold, Mrs Faustina Koranteng, the Ahanta West Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has said.

She said advancing the gains in democracy and harnessing resources for development and growth all hinged on peace.

Mrs Koranteng was speaking during an Inter Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting for political parties and other stakeholders in Ahanta West, which was funded by the European Union, to ensure peaceful coexistence.

The meeting began with the screening of a short film on the Consequences of Violent Extremism, aimed at creating a platform for dialogue among participants on effective ways of identifying early warning signals of extremist activities.

Mrs Koranteng said the Commission, in collaboration with National Security, with support from the EU, was undertaking the Dialogue especially in the five regions of northern Ghana and other border regions, hotspot communities and some coastal areas.

It would help for community surveillance and provide measures to counter radicalisation of the youth, fight against transnational organised crimes, identify early warning signals of extremist violence, and promote respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Mr Justice Yaw Ennin, the Western Regional Director of the NCCE, said National Security technique detection had proved that Ghana was prone to violent threat in relation to unemployment, chieftaincy, ethnic/religious conflict, inter-religious conflict, high cost of living, and political vigilantism.

Some porous borders in the country constituted a major threat to violent extremism, he said.

The Municipal Police Commander, DSP Valentine Akposu, urged participants to be mindful that Ghana was not immune to violence happenings, hence the need to educate their people on peaceful coexistence and inclusive participation in national development.

The participants were taken through the Vigilante and Related Offences Act 2019 (Act 999), the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491) and the Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR) mechanism.

Pastor Harold Adu-Boateng, Church of Pentecost, Vice Chairman of the Inter Party Dialogue Committee, called for the formation of watchdog committees to help check crime.

Participants included representatives of political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the Electoral Commission, CHRAJ, Faith Based Organisations, PWDs, and Women’s groups.

Source: GNA (https://www.gna.org.gh/1.21257527