Watch out for suspicious people in communities – NCCE

Navrongo (U/E),– The Kassena-Nankana Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on the public to look out for strange and suspicious people in their respective communities and report them to the Police.

“Sometimes strange people come into our communities, but we are not bothered to find out where they are coming from and what they will be doing in the community, but rather we accommodate them.

“I am therefore advising that, you should look out for strange and suspicious characters who are likely to commit crime and report them to the appropriate authorities for investigation,” Madam Felicia Ajongbah, the Municipal Director of the NCCE stated.

She was speaking at an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) sensitization meeting on violent extremism, intended to highlight the dangers which violent extremists cause to the peace and security in a country.

“It is a collective responsibility of every citizen to participate in the fight against violent extremism,” the Director said.

She said the programme, supported by the European Union, was aimed at creating a platform for dialogue among political parties and other stakeholders on effective ways to identify early warning signals of violent extremism.

Madam Ajongbah said the meeting was against transnational organised crime, and to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law, equip the youth with the relevant information on violent extremism and radicalism, and to guard them against recruitment to perpetuate violence.

She said violent extremist activities in neighbouring countries threatened the peace and stability of such countries, saying it was the responsibility of every Ghanaian including the youth to be concerned in order to contribute to preserve the peace.

Madam Ajongbah said there was the need to improve the knowledge and attitude of the youth on the culture of tolerance and non-violence, and be ambassadors of peace to promote peaceful co-existence.

Mr Victor Elikplim Nuworkpor, the Upper East Deputy Regional Director of the NCCE, identified the push, pull and contextual factors that cause violent extremism, and said the push factor included denial of rights and civil liberty among others.

He explained that extremist groups were very rich, well organised, and provided services including employment in exchange for membership, while the contextual factors were characterised by lack of thw rule of law, criminality and corruption.

Chief Superintendent Yahaya Muchiraru, the Navrongo Divisional Police Commander called on community members to report crimes to the Police immediately they occurred, and also take interest to ensure that reported cases at the Police Station get to its logical conclusions.

Source: Ghana News Agency