By Rosemary Wayo
Tamale, Aug. 9, GNA – The citizenry has been urged to use non-violent means to address grievances to complement efforts towards preventing violent extremism.
Father Clement Aapengnuo, Team Leader, COGINTA Ghana, who made the call, said extremists took advantage of conflict situations to operate, hence citizens must be conscious not to address issues through means that could degenerate into violence.
He was speaking at a gender-sensitive and conflict-sensitive reporting workshop in Tamale.
He indicated that under the Counterterrorism Act, anyone who acted or mobilised violence fell afoul of the law.
The workshop was a two-day training for women in the media, aimed at building their capacities to actively engage in conflict and gender sensitive reporting and to mediate violent extremism.
It formed part of activities lined up for the “Empowering Women in Media for Peace and Stability in Northern Ghana” a six-month project under the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) award’s initiative.
It sought to address the limited engagement of women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts in Northern Ghana.
It is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with Meridian International Center as the implementing partner.
The event brought together 15 female journalists, who were selected from the Northern, Savannah, North-East, Upper East and Upper West Regions.
Father Aapengnuo said journalists had the responsibility of educating members of the public to the realisation that violence was not the way to go.
He said, “No matter how right you are, immediately you get violent, you’re inviting the state to deal with you. It is you against the law.”
He said journalists must educate themselves to educate the masses and called on radio journalists to hold discussions with experts on topics on conflict resolution.
GNA