The National Peace Council (NPC) has begun a training programme for executives across the regions to deepen their insight on matters of peace and security.
The training, which started with members of the Greater Accra Regional Peace Council (GARPC), provides the platform for new executive members to be equipped with prevention methods, manage and resolve conflicts to build sustainable peace.
Speaking at the opening ceremony yesterday in Accra, a member of the Governing Board of the NPC, Reverend Dr Nii Amo Darku, indicated that the training would update members on the various hotspots identified in the country.
He noted that the Greater Accra Region was bedevilled with political issues, land and chieftaincy disputes than other regions and charged members of the GARPC to be proactive.
Reverend Dr Darku was optimistic the training would afford members the needed skills to examine and understand the negative implications of conflicts and insecurity.
He said the training had been necessitated by the recent violence that rocked the La Bawalashie polling station during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in Accra.
“Ayawaso West Wuogon was among the lists of communities earmarked by the council as violence-free area. The outcome of that election had awakened the council to become more proactive in their cause of promoting peace and security.
“This training is part of the strategies expected to prevent potential electoral violence in the country,” he said.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the NPC, Mr George Amoh said the council was seeking the needed resources to inaugurate regional executives in the newly created regions.
He said the council with help from government through the Interior Ministry, has begun the roadmap to appoint credible individuals with the core mandate to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts in those regions.
He said training is expected to help members track down information on the internet as well as identify hotspots through social media platforms.
Mr Andoh charged members of GARPC to broaden their intelligence to enable them deal with matters of conflicts, especially in areas of chieftaincy and land disputes in the region.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
