The Builsa South District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Alhassan Bukari, has entreated the youth in the area to play a watchdog role by exposing people with suspicious character.
The District Director made the call at a day’s workshop organised by the Commission on the theme; “Youth activist forum on violent extremism” at Fumbisi on Saturday.
He told the youth groups drawn from the various communities in the district that they have the major role to play to complement the efforts of various security agencies in maintaining law and order.
He also used the occasion to educate the youth not to allow themselves to be recruited by individuals particularly, foreigners to cause violent extremism and radicalism.
Alhaji Bukari stated that the programme, which was funded by the European Union aimed at inculcating the sense of patriotism in the youth to help fight against transnational organised crime and promoting human rights and rule of law.
He added that the project which is in line with the broader goal of Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Northern Border Regions of Ghana (NORPREVSEC), targeting the youth activist, further aimed at equipping the youth with the relevant information on violent extremism and radicalism.
The Acting Upper East Regional Director of NCCE, Mr Victor Nuworkpor showed videos on violence some neighbouring countries, where the youth were recruited to perpetuate violence, cause mayhem and destroy property.
While appealing to the women to be peace ambassadors by talking to their husbands and sons to desist from violent acts , he also admonished the youth to be patriotic, law abiding, and respect the rights of others and to also expose strangers who look suspicious to the lawful agencies .
The Catholic Parish Priest in charge of the area, Reverend Ernest Otchere, underscored the need for equal distribution of resources and to tolerate and integrate with one another for peaceful co-existence.
The District Police Commander, ASP Kwesi Amankwa took participants through the “preventing violent extremism in Ghana” and explained to participants some of the tactics deployed by terrorists to attack communities.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, FUMBISI
