By Solomon Gumah
Tampion (N/R) July 20, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organised a day’s Police-community dialogue session at Tampion in the Nanton District of the Northern Region as part of efforts to promote peaceful coexistence.
It was aimed at creating the platform where personnel of the Ghana Police Service, community members and other stakeholders in the district could interact to defuse suspicion and build trust to improve Police-community relations and confidence.
It attracted inter-party dialogue committee members, women and youth groups, representatives of political parties, the security services among other stakeholders in the area.
The dialogue, which was funded by the European Union, also focused on violent extremism and its related effects.
Mr Ibrahim Iddrisu, Nanton District Director of NCCE, speaking during the event, said it was to help foster respect, transparency, trust and confidence between the Police and the community to facilitate peace and harmony.
He spoke on the issue of violent extremism, saying extremists often took advantage of misunderstandings between communities and security services to cause mayhem.
He emphasised need for communities to use all possible avenues to settle their differences.
Mr Iddrisu touched on the upcoming general election and admonished the youth to eschew violence.
He said, “No one should die because of elections. Let’s prioritise peace before, during and after the elections.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Fuseini Abdul Wahab, Savelugu-Nanton District Police Commander, addressing participants, said promoting peaceful coexistence was a shared responsibility between the Police and communities.
He explained that the Police required the gathering of data and evidence to properly execute their duties, adding the public must learn to report suspicious cases within their communities.
ASP Mr Wahab urged them to desist from taking the law into their own hands, and rather have confidence in the Police to execute their duties.
Mr Inusah Iddrisu, Principal Public Education Officer and Investigator at the Northern Regional Office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), expressed need for continuous dialogue to help settle any issues that could lead to violence.
He emphasised on the rule of law and admonished community members to seek justice through the legal processes.
Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, Northern Regional Director of NCCE, expressed optimism that the 2024 general election would be peaceful and urged all stakeholders to religiously play their roles at the elections.
Participants commended the NCCE and partners for the event and appealed to duty-bearers to ensure transparency in the discharge of their responsibilities.
GNA