Interior Minister lauds Peace Council for sensitising border communities on terrorism

Accra, May 17, GNA-Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister for the Interior, has lauded the National Peace Council (NPC) for sensitizing border communities on the development of violent extremism and terrorism within the sub-region.

The Minister said the initiative had built the capacities of the community members to give information to the security services and build resilience against these security threats.
This was in a speech read on behalf of the Minister on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of National Peace Council’s dialogue with Board, Chairmen of Regional, Executive Secretaries and the Directors of Peace Councils in Accra.
The programme, on the theme: “Building Strong Relationship Between NPC and Regional Peace Council for Sustainable Peace in Ghana” is to help deliver on their mandate as an institution.
The meeting is also to internally take stock and devise strategies for the realisation of the Council’s mandate.
He said the Government appreciated the Peace Council’s role in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, particularly, chieftaincy and politically related ones in the country.
Mr Dery said the threats to the peace and security of the country such as the youth unemployment, the threat of violent extremism, terrorism and terrorism financing were worrying and called for concerted effort to address the situation.
“The Council and its Regional and District offices provide a platform for early warning alerts all over the country,” he said.
“Let’s fashion out our activities according to law, policy and administrative regulations to ensure that everybody is on board in your quest to seek the total peace of Ghana.”
The Minister urged the participants to work in unison and in harmony and make the best out of the meeting, and build synergies and friendship that would continue to bind them as a group.
He urged them to work together and strive to put Ghana first and make a conscious effort at making the country better.
Mr George Amoh, the Executive Secretary, NPC, said violent extremism was leaking around, and that the dialogue was an opportunity to re-energise our collective efforts at building resilient against the emerging security threats.
He said the meeting would also discuss the scheme of services developed for the Peace Council which focused on the various job descriptions and the roles for the staff.
Nana Dr S.K.B Asante, who is also the Omanhene of Asokore Mampong, advised the participants to bring their experiences to bear on the sustenance of peace in the country.