The National Peace Council (NPC) has inaugurated its Oti Regional office and charged the officials with the responsibility to mediate and promote peace for sustainable development.
They are also to prevent, reconcile, educate and resolve conflicts in the Oti region.
Sheikh Salman Mohammed Alhassan, Governing Board Member, National Peace Council, who inaugurated the 13-member Council in Dambai, the Oti Regional capital, urged them to consolidate peace and national integration.
He said a conflict mapping exercise carried out by the National Peace Council in collaboration with the University of Cape Coast, showed that every region in Ghana was challenged by several and diverse conflict which Oti Region had not been left out in the number of conflicts.
He said the Oti Regional Peace Council (ORPC) had the responsibility of advising the Regional Security (REGSEC) in matters relating to peace building and conflict prevention, engage in public education and facilitate activities that would bring about friendship and reconciliations.
He also explained that Act 818 of 2011 that set up the NPC envisaged the setting up of a peace fund for the development of peace initiatives.
He stated that the NPC was set up in 2011 with the mandate to facilitate and develop mechanisms for conflict prevention, management, and resolution to build sustainable peace in the country.
Mr Alhassan said these conflicts did not only threaten the peace of the country, but its socio-economic development.
‘Violent conflicts often disrupt human capital, physical infrastructure and economic activities.’
He called on the regional peace council, the first to be inaugurated, to prepare and be proactive because the task ahead was critical for the development of the society and would require full commitment, dedication, and sacrifices.
He thanked donor partners such as UNDP, and DANIDA for their support in the establishment of the peace architecture as well as their unflinching support for efforts at resolving various pockets of conflicts in the country.
Reverend Fr Christian Dominic Kwabena Adu, a representative of Catholic Bishops Conference said illiteracy rate had also increased the needless conflicts and expressed the hope that the Oti Regional Peace Council would work with REGSEC to achieve the needed peace.
Mr Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu, the Oti Regional Minister advised the members to be proactive and pre-empt conflicts to prevent them from occurring.
Mr Gyanie Yentumi Peter King, Chairman of the Oti NPC expressed their readiness to the task and asked for support from all.
The 13- member board are, Reverend Fr Christian Dominic Kwabena Adu (Catholic Bishops Conference), Reverend David Darkon Awuda (Christian Council), Reverend Michael Osei Frimpong (Ghana Pentecostal Council), Apostle Moses Adu- Gyamfi (National Council For Christian and Charismatic Churches), Mr Daniel Zumakpe (Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission), Sheik Musa Abubakar Biyaw (AI – Sunnah Mission).
There rest include, Alhaji Adamu Dauda (Tijaaniya Muslim Group), Osofo Raymond Kwame Agbodza (Practitioners of African Traditional Religion), Mrs Faustina Donkor Nayan (Regional Coordinating Council), Mrs Benedicta Awusi Atiku (Institution of Higher Learning (DACE), Mr Gyanie Yentumi Peter King (Regional Coordinating Council),Ms Rosemond Ewoenam Atutonu (Identifiable Groups, GLOWA) and Nana Okoforobour Baffour Kwame Asante II, Paramount chief of Tapa Traditional area (Regional House of Chiefs).
Source: Ghana News Agency