The Wassa-Amenfi Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Cornelius Ahiekpor, has reminded the citizenry of the need to keep to national cohesion, harmony and inclusiveness as the country continued in its strides towards growth, development and advancement in democracy.
“It is imperative to remind Ghanaians on our collective responsibility of maintaining peaceful coexistence, unity and stability as a cornerstone of national cohesion,” he said.
Mr Ahiekpor noted that the Commission was engaging the interparty dialogue committee among political parties and other stakeholders in the collective responsibility of ensuring peaceful coexistence to deepen stability.
He gave the reminder at a dialogue organised by the Commission under the auspices of the Ministry of National Security on the theme: ‘Empowering Ghanaians to Stand for National Cohesion and Inclusive Participation’.
Mr Ahiekpor reinforced the role of political parties as key stakeholders for ensuring peace and security in the country as well as deepeningexisting collaboration between the Commission and other stakeholders to protect the sovereignty of the country by exposing violent extremism and terrorism, ensuring peaceful coexistence and stability.
Justice Ennin, the Western Regional Director of NCCE, who spoke on ‘National Security Strategy and National Framework for Counting Violent Extremism and Terrorism’ explained that domestic threats to security and national cohesion tendered to be caused by socioeconomic and cultural grievances aggravated by poverty, squalor, unemployment, violent radicalisation, political point scoring, reciprocal attacks, religious tensions, inequality, and marginalisation.
“Recent emergence of terrorists and secessionist groups across the sub-region called for alertness to avert any unforeseen situation that might destabilise the peaceful co-existence and national cohesion,”hestated.
Superintendent Daniel Amoah, the Municipal Police Commander, elaborated on the Public Order Acts, 1994 (Act 491) and Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999) and encouraged the public to volunteer information about any suspicious characters in communities to maintain peace and harmony.
“Community leaders must form watchdog committees in communities, assist and support efforts of security agencies to fight crime and other violent activities,”headvised. -GNA
