By Albert Futukpor, GNA
Tamale, March 20, GNA – The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has held a high-level dialogue on civil-military cooperation to strengthen collaboration between civilians and security agencies in, combating violent extremism.
The dialogue was also to improve trust and cooperation between communities and security services as a key strategy for sustaining peace and stability, especially in the northern part of the country.
It brought together policymakers, security agencies, civil society actors, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and the media to deliberate on effective approaches to enhancing civil-military cooperation.
The dialogue formed part of activities under the Prevention of Violent Extremism through Social Accountability (PoVETSA II) project being implemented by CRS in collaboration with Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre and the National Peace Council with funding support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The PoVETSA II seeks to strengthen trust between civilians and security services to prevent violent extremism in Ghana.
Mrs Alisa Mogre, Gender, Youth and Inclusion Advisor at CRS, speaking during the dialogue in Tamale, emphasised that strong civil-military relations were critical for sustainable peace, public trust and national development.
She said weak cooperation and poor social cohesion could threaten democracy and stability drawing lessons from insecurity challenges in the Sahel region.
She called for a collective, whole-of-society approach to peacebuilding.
Mr Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, underscored the importance of civil-military cooperation in addressing the growing threat of violent extremism saying such threats were often driven by socio-economic inequalities and identity politics.
Mr Adolf, while acknowledging Ghana’s relative stability, emphasized need for sustained vigilance and proactive measures to maintain peace, adding civil-military cooperation must be treated as a strategic priority anchored on trust between security agencies and communities.
He warned that weak trust could result in fear, misinformation and instability, especially in areas affected by chieftaincy disputes, unemployment and cross-border risks.
Mr John proposed key measures including strengthening community engagement through traditional and religious leaders, improving information-sharing systems and enhancing the capacity of security personnel in conflict sensitivity and communication.
He highlighted the importance of youth empowerment, women’s inclusion in security efforts and addressing social exclusion as effective means of countering extremist narratives.
He called for honest dialogue, collaboration and practical solutions and expressed government’s commitment to promoting peace, security and strong partnerships.
The workshop also featured presentations by various security agencies focusing on strategies to enhance cooperation and prevent violent extremism.
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Twumasi of the Northern Regional Command, Ghana Armed Forces, said although public perception of the military was generally positive, there was need for enhanced public education by civil society and the media on the role, operations and challenges of the military.
He highlighted the growing challenge of misinformation and called for efforts to promote responsible reporting and counter false narratives.
Superintendent of Police, Mr Odartey Lamptey of the Northern Regional Police Command, underscored the importance of volunteerism in maintaining security, especially in the face of instability in neighbouring countries.
He called for strengthened efforts to make security personnel more approachable and to build trust with communities so that individuals would feel confident in sharing information to enhance overall safety.
Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani, Council Member, Northern Regional Peace Council, expressed concern about Ghana’s declining position on global peace indices describing it as a worrying trend that required urgent attention.
He emphasised that maintaining peace was a shared responsibility urging citizens to remain vigilant and support security agencies by sharing relevant information.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Benjamin Mensah