Accra,- Mrs Jemima Abena Konadu Mensah, the GA East Municipal Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has entreated stakeholders to assist in upholding National cohesion and inclusive participation for peace and development.
She said, “we are at a period where crime and its related issues are on the increase and as Ghanaians, we should see ourselves as one people with a common destiny irrespective of our political, religion or tribal affiliations.”
Mrs Mensah made the call at the Interparty Dialogue Committee Meeting organized by the GA East Municipal Office in Accra.
The dialogue was sponsored by the European Union (EU) and in collaboration with the National Security Ministry.
It was on the theme: “NCCE/EU Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security (NORPREVSEC) project.”
She urged participants to help sustain the enviable position of Ghana as a ‘beacon of peace’, in the West Africa Sub-region.
Mrs Mensah said the attention of Committee members were drawn to the emerging national security issues such as violent extremism and secessionist attacks going on in some part of the country.
“A day does not pass by without breaking news about one abominable crime, incidents of robberies at various banks with its associate killings of security men, ritual murders, youth going on a rampage and destroying public property and much electoral violence,” she added.
Mrs Lucille Hewllet Annan, the Greater Accra Regional Director of NCCE, said many countries were destroyed because of electoral violence and misunderstanding, amongst people.
She said as Ghanaians “we should not allow what is happening in the neighbouring countries to happen to us, adding that if we are not careful and allow all these to happen in Ghana there will be nowhere to run to.”
She said there was no need resolving to violence with the smallest issue rather citizens should allow peace and unity to prevail in the communities.
The Regional Director urged participants to take security issues seriously and report any unusual characters and behaviours to the security agency for quick action.
The NCCE Regional Director said as Ghanaians “we need to eschew violence and respect the rights of each other because there are a lot of bad people, who are ready to sell guns to people to be used to kill people.”
Mrs Anann advised participants to educate their community members at workplaces, churches and mosques on what they have learnt and urged them to always seek advice from the police before organizing any public event to avoid violence or clashes with the police.
Superintendent Edward Kodjo Tetteh, GA East Municipal Police Commander, appealed to participants to cooperate with the police to help arrest suspected criminals in their communities.
He said the police alone could not do everything without the help from the citizenry and advised that it was very important to know the background of the person who comes to rent an apartment from landlords, especially foreigners.
The Police Commander took participants through the Public Order Act 1994 (Act 491) and processes involved in organizing a special event.
He urged participants to demonstrate their commitments to the Rule of Law and Constitutional Democracy because it was the only way the nation could develop.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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