Conflict management forum ends in Tamale
Majority of the conflicts and violence in the Northern Region could be prevented if their root causes were identified and resolved through joint problem solving mechanism.
Reverend Father Thaddeus Kuusah Regional Director of Northern Regional Peace Advisory Council, who made the observation said: “A lot of the violent incidence in this region are only being managed because often the root cause which will lead to a one time resolution of such issues are not painstakingly identified,” he stressed.
Rev Kuusah was speaking at a day’s forum on conflict management and resolution which brought together stakeholders in peace building in the Tamale Metropolis, organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Sustainable Peace Initiative, an NGO on Wednesday.
The forum was one of the methods employed by NCCE to educate people on the need to ensure peace in the area especially as the nation prepares towards the 2012 General Election.
Rev Kuusah identified lack of respect for ethnic groups, ineffective communication, insecurity, impatience and intolerance as some of the root causes of violence in the region.
He reminded the participants that: “God gave us peace, so as a nation we should always have the peace of God in our lifestyles. Ghana is under the control of God.”
Rev Kuusah encouraged the participants to live in peace and harmony and to be their “brothers’ keepers”, by avoiding social vices such as destroying their opponents through false accusations, gossiping, stealing and other crimes.
Mr Haruna Husheini Sulemana Regional Director of the NCCE said the Region was dotted with conflicts ranging from chieftaincy, partisan politics, religion, inter and intra ethnic with some of them taking on violent proportions.
He said peace building needed to be approached through the joint efforts of all, adding “unfortunately, some of the unifying forces turn themselves to divisive force in our society as some chief and religious leaders reduce themselves to partisan political activists”.
He said: “We need to socially audit ourselves against the norms and values of our societies in order to identify and correct the errors through civic education for rational behaviour to prevail.
Mr Sulemana said as part of programmes lined up towards the peace initiative NCCE would organize radio talk shows and employ the use of drama and film shows as well as training of peace promoters.
Source: GNA