Participants at the Inter-party Dialogue Committee meeting Japekrom in the Jaman South Municipality have agreed to prioritize the promotion of peace, tolerance, and the fight against violent extremism to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
The collective decision reflected a shared commitment to foster a harmonious and secure environment for all stakeholders involved in the upcoming general elections.
The participants included political parties, faith-based organizations, women and youth groups, civil society organizations, persons with disabilities, security agencies, heads of departments, traditional and community leaders.
The meeting, organized by the Jaman South Municipal Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with support from the European Union, was a proactive step towards ensuring peaceful elections and post-election stability.
Addressing participants at the meeting, Mr. Emmanuel Oduro, the Municipal Director of NCCE, emphasized the importance of the Commission’s campaign which focused on discussing strategies to promote peaceful co-existence and prevent and contain violent extremism.
Emphasizing on the NCCE’s theme for the year, “Together We Can Build Ghana, So Get Involved,” Mr. Oduro urged citizens to uphold the law and refrain from engaging in any activities that could disrupt the current peace of the country.
He urged all political parties to be tolerant towards opposing viewpoints and conduct in accordance with the country’s laws as the presidential and parliamentary elections approach.
Chief Inspector Mark Kwabena Okyere, the station officer at the Japekrom Police headquarters, asked the citizens to be vigilant in monitoring and reporting potential threats and vulnerabilities related to violent extremism.
He also discussed methods for detecting youth radicalization, recognizing signs of recruitment, and promoting mediation and resolution of local conflicts.
He highlighted the important role citizens could play in security matters, stating that the police relied on information and assistance from the public to enhance their operations in combating crime.
Dr. Henrietta Asante-Sarpong, Director of Research, Gender, and Equality at the Commission’s head office, emphasized that civic education was a collective responsibility and urged leaders of the various groups to support the efforts of the NCCE by educating their members on their duties and responsibilities as citizens.
