By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Wa, (UW/R), April 16, GNA – Stakeholders from the five regions of the North and some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have met in Wa to discuss the security situation in northern Ghana and how peace and security could be sustained in the area.
The meeting was the third “Dialogue Forum of the State and Non-state Actors on Security Coordination in Northern Ghana” and brought together various stakeholders in the five regions of the north, including Regional Ministers, members of regional peace councils, and representatives of some security agencies, among others.
Representatives of some CSOs, including ActionAid Ghana and STAR-Ghana Foundation, among others, also participated in the forum.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, the Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, said the declining donor support, particularly election-related programming, called for concerted action from all stakeholders to ensure peace prevailed in the north during the electioneering.
“So, what do we do in the absence of external funding to ensure that our regions are conflict-free, that the elections happen in an atmosphere of peace and security, and that we are able to move forward after elections? So, this is the responsibility of all of us,” he said.
Mr Amidu stressed the need for effective stakeholders’ coordination, collaboration, and sharing of information on matters of security if peace and security would be sustained in the regions.
He said the dialogue forum was one of the means of ensuring the needed collaboration, coordination and information sharing on security.
He proposed that similar fora be formed at the district levels to ensure wider stakeholder involvement in the peace and security discussion and promotion.
Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, former Upper West Regional Minister, acknowledged that partnership between state and non-state actors was significant in pursuing peace and security.
“Only by harnessing the collective efforts and resources of government institutions, Civil Society Organisations, and the community leaders that we can address the root cause of conflict and violence and build a more resilient and inclusive society,” he explained.
Dr. Salih, now the Upper East Regional Minister, reiterated the need to embrace new approaches that prioritised the well-being and safety of all citizens.
He indicated that this year’s dialogue was more significant as this was an election year, which had presented a need to foster peace and security before, during, and after the election.
He said promoting peace and security in northern Ghana was a shared responsibility that transcended political affiliation and ideological difference.
“In the face of mounting challenges, from ethnic tension and communal conflict to economic instability and the looming spectrum of extremism, our resolve must remain unwavering.
We cannot afford to be complacent or indifferent in addressing them. Instead, we must harness the power of dialogue, collaboration, and effective action to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of peace and security”, Dr. Salih explained.
The stakeholders also discussed the falling standards of education in northern Ghana to chart ways of improving it.
GNA