By Philip Tengzu
Gwollu, (UW/R), May 25, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has entreated political parties to carry out their activities without giving room for violent extremists’ activities to thrive in the country.
Mr Mustapha Iddrisu, the Sissala West District Director of the NCCE, made the plea during an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting on violent extremism held in Gwollu in the Sissala West district.
The meeting was attended by representatives of political parties, security agencies, traditional authorities, persons with disabilities, women, and youth groups and civil society organisations among others.
It was aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence and social cohesion towards preventing violent extremism and promoting collaboration among political parties and other stakeholders in mitigating its effects.
Mr Iddrisu explained that the meeting was part of the numerous activities being implemented by the NCCE, under its European Union sponsored preventing and containing violent extremism action.
He indicated that the engagement would equip members of IPDC and other stakeholders with knowledge and understanding of the concept of violent extremism focusing on issues that had the tendency of triggering violent extremism if not properly handled.
This, according to him, would empower IPDC members to monitor, detect and address emerging issues before they degenerate into violence.
He pointed out that there was the need for collective action by all stakeholders in combating violent extremism and preserving the peace and democratic credentials of the country.
“Political parties will always come and go and individuals as well as groups will always have the opportunity to switch from one religion to another, from one camp within a political party to the other or from one political party to another but there is only one Ghana and nobody would have any different Ghana to switch to, if the country is destabilised”, he said.
Mr Mohammadu Kamara, the Sissala West District Coordinating Director, noted that as people aspire to promote different ideologies and other interests, conflicts were bound to occur.
He, however, said the only thing that held the country’s peace were the 1992 constitution, the rule of law and functioning democratic institutions.
He, therefore, appealed to political parties, religious bodies, and individuals to always uphold the constitution and promote the rule of law by resorting to acceptable procedures and structures in addressing grievances rather than violence.
Mr Kamara entreated all stakeholders to play their respective roles in ensuring the safety of the country while advising participants not to allow differences in political ideologies to break their homes instead they should use it to promote development.
Mr Sinto Mustapha Nuhu, the Upper West Regional Information Officer, also the Acting Sissala West District Information Officer, took participants through topics such as understanding violent extremism, monitoring and reporting threats of violent extremism, and ways of detecting youth radicalisation and signs of recruitment, among others.
Political parties also resolved to desist from bussing foreigners and minors to the registration centres during the ongoing limited voter registration exercise to reduce tension among their supporters at the registration centre.
GNA