Garu (U/E), Nov 10, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education has called on political parties to always use dialogue to settle misunderstandings and differences to maintain the prevailing peace and national cohesion.
Mr Samuel Atando Akolgo, the Garu District Assistant Director of the Commission, said with peace and tranquillity, the development of the country would be accelerated and sustained and prevent the infiltration of extremists into the country.
He made the call at Garu in the Upper East Region at an engagement with stakeholders of the Interparty Dialogue Committee as part of efforts to prevent electoral violence and preserve the threats of violent extremists in the border regions of Ghana.
It was sponsored by the European Union.
Mr Akolgo said the country’s borders were porous and that put it at risk, considering the activities of violent extremism and terrorism in neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and urged all stakeholders to be watchful to identify strange characters and report them to the security agencies.
He urged Ghanaians to use their shared common languages and institutions, customary laws and traditions to tackle violent extremism.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Akante-Banaam Adangabe, the Garu District Police Station Officer, encouraged citizens to collaborate with security agencies and all stakeholders to prevent the emergence of violent extremism.
He urged citizens to remain calm and immediately pass on information to security agencies who will proceed to such targeted areas to provide security and other arrangements to ensure the safety and possible evacuation if threats were imminent.
The participants included representatives from the political parties, Youth leaders, Security Agencies, District assemblies, traditional and religious leaders, Civil Society, Faith-Based Organisations and Women leaders.
The IPDC meeting aimed at creating platforms for dialogue among political parties and other stakeholders on effective ways to identify early warning signals of extremist violence, community surveillance and measures to counter the radicalization of the youth.
The objective of the meeting was to further deepen the existing collaboration between the NCCE and other major stakeholders as important mechanisms for preventing actions that have the potential to negatively influence the youth and incite violence.
GNA