By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 08, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, May 7, inaugurated the reconstituted 13-Member Governing Board of the National Peace Council under the Chairmanship of Reverend Father Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, the Catholic Bishop of Ho Di.
The National Peace Council is an independent statutory national peace institution established by the eight hundred and eighteenth (818) Act of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, named The National Peace Council Act, 2011.
The core function of the Council is to prevent, manage, and resolve conflict and to build sustainable peace.
Members of the reconstituted National Peace Council include Apostle Eric Kwabena Nyamekye, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost; Rev Dr Hilliard Dela Dogbe, the Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana and Bishop Dr Victor Osei, the Founder of Family Chapel International.
Others are Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, Ameer (Head) and Missionary in-charge of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, Sheikh Salman Mohammed Alhassan, Chairman, National Representative Assembly of Ahlussunna Wal Jama’a–Ghana, and Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam.
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The rest are Numo Blafo Akotia Omaetu III, representative of Practitioners of African Traditional Religions, Madam Linda Teye, Dr Abubakar Umar Alhassan, Georgette Francois, Madam Susan Aryeetey and Nana Effah-Apenteng.
President Mahama in his remarks after inaugurating the Council, tasked them to go the extra mile in building public trust to sustain Ghana’s peace and development.
“Ghanaians are calling on you to rise above partisanship, resist manipulation and become the custodian of our peace and the nation’s conscience,” he stated.
The President noted that the re-constituted Peace Council must deepen its collaboration with the Electoral Commission, the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) traditional and religious authorities.
He also reiterated the need for pre-election dialogue platforms to become institutionalized.
Touching on chieftaincy disputes, President Mahama cited the protracted Bawku conflict and other flash points and called on the National Peace Council to compliment ongoing mediation talks to secure a lasting solution.
“As we speak, violence in Bawku has claimed numerous lives and displaced several households,” he said.
“Chieftaincy conflicts are also rife, and it calls on the National Peace Council to work assiduously if we are to maintain Ghana’s image as an oasis of peace in our sub-region.”
Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, said evidence from the field shows that volatile constituencies such as Asutifi South and Asunafo North where there had always been post elections conflicts remain calm till date after the elections.
“We also acknowledge some disturbances in some Constituencies such as Damongo and Ablekuma North; the Council with the support of the Ministry will work with stakeholders to address any challenges going forward,” he said.
The Minister said the Council was making frantic efforts to bring stakeholders together to thoroughly review the 2024 elections and adopt strategies towards more effective cooperation and engagements among the political parties and governance stakeholders to build a future that was resilient to sustain the peace of the country.
He said in a significant recognition by the international community, the Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC) had proposed that Ghana Chairs the organization and host it as well.
This, he said means that in a few months to come the headquarters of the GAAMAC would be moved from Switzerland to Ghana.
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