By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R) Aug. 14, GNA – The Oti Regional Peace Council has initiated a consultative dialogue with Queen mothers and other traditional stakeholders in the Nkwanta South Municipality as part of efforts to promote lasting peace, strengthen early warning mechanisms and enhance community-based responses to emerging conflicts.
The dialogue organised under the theme, “National Peace Council, Oti Regional Secretariat Consultative Dialogue on Peace Building, Early Warning and Response,” sought to harness the influence, experience and traditional knowledge of queen mothers in preventing conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence among communities.
The engagement formed part of broader efforts by the National Peace Council and its regional structures to strengthen local peacebuilding mechanisms and encourage stakeholders to identify and address potential sources of conflict before they escalate into violence.
It brought together queen mothers from the Adele, Challa and Akyode communities to deliberate on the causes of conflicts in the area and explore practical approaches to building sustainable peace.
Participants were encouraged to use traditional and community-level structures to promote dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation, while supporting the timely sharing of information on developments that could threaten peace and security.
Mr Paul Akonor, Oti Regional Director of the National Peace Council, who facilitated the dialogue, emphasised the important role of queenmothers in peacebuilding.
He said their influence within families and communities positioned them strategically to contribute to the early identification of tensions, prevent escalation and promote peaceful settlement of disputes.
Mr Akonor took the participants through the principles of consultative dialogue, peacebuilding, early warning and response, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among traditional authorities, women leaders, security agencies, local government and other peacebuilding institutions.
The queenmothers pledged to champion the peace campaign in their respective communities and come together under one umbrella to strengthen dialogue among themselves and with male traditional leaders to help end gun violence in the area.
They assured the organisers that they would use their influence to engage their husbands, sons and other family members to reject revenge and retaliation, regardless of the circumstances.
The queen mothers said sustainable peace required collective responsibility and urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation over violence.
Mr Peterkin Yentumi Gyinae, Oti Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council, explained that Nkwanta South had experienced recurring conflicts that had affected lives, disrupted livelihoods, displaced families and hindered socio-economic development.
He said although significant efforts had been made by various stakeholders to restore calm, lasting peace could only be achieved when all segments of society actively participated in peacebuilding.
Mr Gyinae reaffirmed the commitment of the Oti Regional Peace Council to working closely with traditional authorities, women leaders, youth groups, religious bodies, civil society organisations, security agencies and other stakeholders to build a peaceful, inclusive and resilient municipality.
Mr Joseph Antwi Awal, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nkwanta South, expressed appreciation to the National Peace Council for its continued peacebuilding engagements in the Municipality.
He urged the queen mothers to intensify their involvement in the ongoing consultative processes and use their influence to promote peace, reconciliation, and tolerance.
He said their active participation was critical to helping Nkwanta South recover from the effects of conflict and return to its normal state.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah//Audrey Dekalu