UNDP to assist National Peace Council
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged to offer financial and technical support to the National Peace Council (NPC) and other state institutions towards ensuring peace before and after the 2016 general election in the country.
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The Communications Analyst of the UNDP, Mr Bossman Owusu, did not mention the amount involved but indicated that the UNDP was ready to support efforts that would maintain peace in Ghana in the run-up to the elections.
He said the development of Ghana hinged on peace, hence the commitment of the UNDP to collaborate with the NPC to prevent conflict.
Mr Bossman made this known when he visited the Brong Ahafo Regional Peace Council to assess the work of the council, identify the challenges facing it and discuss ways of overcoming the challenges.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Peace Council is one of the five regional councils that have been furnished by the UNDP. The other beneficiary regions are Western, Ashanti, Upper East and Volta.
Past mistakes
Mr Bossman said the UNDP would engage the state institutions to learn from mistakes committed in the previous elections. The aim, he said, was to prevent a repeat of those mistakes and maintain peace in the country.
He said it was crucial for the elected President to be able to govern the country in an atmosphere of peace and security after next year's elections.
Peace, shared responsibility
Mr Bossman said peace was not a product that could be bought but rather it was achieved through the concerted efforts of all. He, therefore, charged all Ghanaians to show commitment towards maintaining peace.
"Peace is something that all citizens should take interest in because where there is no peace, there cannot be any development," he said.
Peace Council
The Executive Secretary of the Brong Ahafo Regional Peace Council, Mr Suallah Abdallah Quandah, mentioned chieftaincy disputes and political violence as the main sources of conflict in the region.
He said the council had succeeded in maintaining peace and preventing reprisal attacks in some of the conflict areas. The areas include Wenchi, Tuobodom, Portor, Sankore, Abeaseman and Kwapong.
Mr Quandah said political violence occurred in the region during the 2008 and 2012 elections. To avert the recurrence of the violence, he said, the council had decided to organise durbars to educate the people on the importance of peace and the need to conduct peaceful electioneering.
