By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, April 5, GNA – A call has been made to include the youth of the country in peace advocacy to harness their experiences to promote a peaceful and cohesive society.
Kpan-Naa Abubakari Andani, Chief of Kpano in the Nanton District of the Northern Region, who made the call, said, “The youth are energetic and creative, and they have the ability to discover new ideas and new ways of solving problems.”
He added “They mostly see solutions that the older generation may overlook. By including the youth in peace advocacy, society will benefit from their creativity and innovation.”
He made the call while addressing a two-day training in Tamale on preventing violent extremism organised for selected youth from the Tamale Metropolis.
Facilitators were drawn from the Northern Regional Peace Council of the University for Development Studies, YEFL-Ghana and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Participants were taken through topics such as understanding conflict and conflict resolution tools, identity and community, gender, youth and preventing violent extremism, and the role of communication in preventing violent extremism.
It was to equip the youth with knowledge and skills to be able to detect, and disseminate information to communities and their friends to ensure that as the country entered the election season, they would act positively when the need arose.
The training, which ended in Tamale on Thursday, was organised by the CRS as part of its implementation of phase two of the Prevention of Violent Extremism through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) project, which is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The project, which is being implemented in partnership with the National Peace Council, and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, seeks to ensure that national peace and security actors improve civilian trust and confidence in security services for the prevention of violent extremism.
Kpa-Naa Andani, who represented the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, said engaging the youth in peace advocacy would enhance continuous efforts towards maintaining peace, and society would create a generation of skilled and experienced ambassadors, who would always be willing to contribute to peacebuilding.
Chief Superintendent Mr Daniel Dzam-Tse, Commander, Sagnarigu District Police Command, narrated experiences in some war-torn countries, saying “We do not want a violent situation in Ghana” because it did not promote development and fellow feeling.
He advised young people to be wise in their choices and desist from acts that could fuel or promote violent extremist tendencies.
Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, Mr Akominya Akanue Mogaga, told the youth not to allow themselves to be used by any member of society to foment trouble since such acts were not desirable.
Mr Timothy Akanpabadai, Head of Office, CRS, Tamale Sub Office, said, Violent extremist activities are inimical to our development, it is inimical to youth progress, it is inimical to our social life,” and urged the youth to guard against such acts.
GNA