Savelugu (N/R), Sept 28, GNA – The Savelugu Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged youth groups amongst other stakeholders in the area on preventing violent extremism in the municipality.
The day’s event, held at Savelugu, formed part of the Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to the Northern Border Regions of Ghana project funded by the European Union to amongst others counter violent extremism in the country.
The engagement was to enhance participants’ understanding of peacebuilding mechanisms, community-based mechanisms for countering violent extremism, identifying early warning signals, community surveillance, and basic community-based strategies for countering arms proliferation.
Participants included Assembly Members, religious leaders, Heads of Department, representatives of youth groups amongst other interest groups in the area.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Twumasi Ankrah, Savelugu District Police Commander, explained violent extremism and radicalisation to the participants and urged them to take their safety seriously.
DSP Mr Ankrah further urged them to be on the lookout and report suspicious characters to the law enforcement officers to take action against them.
Madam Kathleen Addy, Deputy Chairperson of NCCE in charge of Finance and Administration, urged residents to remain united to ensure continued peace in the area as well as resist extremist tendencies.
Participants, after group discussions, suggested the need to organise a community task force to monitor unusual activities in the communities, expand formal education, respect for elders, and love for one another as measures to help prevent violent extremism in the area.
GNA