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The new Governing Board of the National Peace Council has commenced work in earnest to execute its mandate of promoting peace, unity and stability among the citizenry.
The Board is expressly charged to facilitate and develop mechanisms for conflict prevention, management, resolution, and to build sustainable peace in the country while meeting the increasing expectation of citizens.
Members expressed their eagerness to serve at an orientation workshop held in Accra, which also provided a platform for the Council and its international partners like the UNDP to honour and appreciate the dedication and hard work of the former Board members during their tenure of office to sustain peace.[ads2]
The workshop was on the theme: “Participating in Collaborative Leadership and Dialogue”
The 13-member Board inaugurated by President Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2020 general elections, is chaired by Reverend Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, with other members as the Reverend Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso, representing the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council; and Professor S. K. B. Asante.
Others are Nana Susubiribi Krobea Asante (Asokorehene), representing the National House of Chiefs, Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, representing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, and the Most Reverend Father Emmanuel Fianu, SVD, representing the Catholic Bishops Conference.[ads3]
The Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, the National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches; and Numo Blafo Akotia Omatsu III, representing Practitioners of African Traditional Religion are also members of the Board.
The rest are two nominees of the President – Nana Agyakoma Difie II (Asante Mamponghemaa) and Rev. Col John Kwamina Otoo (retd); Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, the representative of the Tijaaniya Muslim Group; Sheikh Salman Mohammed Alaskan, the representative of the Al-Sunnah Muslim Mission and the Executive Secretary of the NPC, Mr George Amoh.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Adu-Gyamfi said the Peace Council Act imposed an obligation on the Council to network, cooperate, and co-create with identifiable partners to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts in the country.
He said: “We want to inform our cherished partners who are with us today and those who could not join us that the Peace Council needs you and will count on you to help co-create the Council that the people of our great country deserve to have.[ads4]
“We have to explore more closely, the areas we can partner to strengthen our collective abilities to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. How can we for example create a platform to regularly evaluate policies and actions that seek to promote or reduce Ghana’s peacefulness and development?”
Dr. Adu-Gyamfi said Ghana, though an oasis of peace in the West African Sub region, continued to be confronted with election related violence, political polarization, protracted land/chieftaincy conflicts, communal violence, insurgency, threat of terrorism and violence extremism and secession attempts by section of our state.
The cooperation of all, he explained, was needed to deal with such pressing issues of national interest, and told the past Board members that they would be the resource bank for ideas and expertise for the Council.
The Chair announced that the Council would ensure that the Peace Fund was established to ensure the smooth and effective running of their activities.
The Reverend Dr. Nii Amoo Darko, a member of the former Board, said the former Board was a formidable armoury of knowledge and expertise from diverse backgrounds which promoted a peaceful atmosphere before and after election 2020.
He expressed optimism that the new Council, with its very capable hands, would ensure brighter future for the entire nation.
He encouraged the new board to celebrate the success of the former board and highlight the lessons learnt, the success stories and recommendations, for the good of the entire nation.
– GNA[ads5]
