National Peace Council (Ghana)

National Peace Council of Ghana is a Ghanaian national body whose aim is to raise awareness surrounding the use of non-violent strategies in response to conflict through networking, coordination and campaigning. The National Peace Council consists of 13 members, representing various religious, social or political groups:^[1]

The 13 members of the Board are; Reverend Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council, as Chairman of the Board, Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, Catholic Bishop of Yendi Diocese representing the Catholic Bishops Conference, Rev Dr Adu Gyamfi, representing the Christian Council, and Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council.^[2]

The others are Bishop James Kweku Saah, the National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches, Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, Ahmadiyah Muslim Group, Imam Awal Shuaib, Tijaaaniya Muslim Group, Sheik Mohammed Gedel, Al-Sunnah Muslim Group, Osofo Kofi Atabuatsi, Practitioners of African Traditional Religion, and Nana Susubribi Krobea Asante, National House of Chiefs.

The rest are Mr Shaibu Abubakar, WANAP Ghana, Rev. Dr Armoo Darku, Institute of Retired Pastors, and Nana Agyakoma Difia II, Mamponghemaa, the President's nominee.

VISION

The National Vision is to have a country characterized by a dynamic environment where people can engage in their lawful activities confident that the institutions, mechanisms and capacities for mediating differences and grievance are effective and responsive.

NATIONAL MISSION

A National Peace Council that will facilitate the development of mechanisms for cooperation among all relevant stakeholders in peace building in Ghana by promoting cooperative problem solving to conflicts and by institutionalizing the processes of response to conflicts to produce outcomes that lead to conflict transformation, social, political and religious reconciliation and transformative dialogues.

WESTERN REGIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

The Council, drawn from diverse religious, ethnic and other identifiable groups in the region, includes Mr. Collins Amah-Brakoh, Rev. Ernest Kwofi, Bishop Emmanuel Botwey, Rev. Bob Asare, Mr. Elias Yusuf Kofi Gyampson and Alhaji Saeed Hamid Jallo. The rest are Alhaji Iddrisu Zakaria, Nana Ekua Kodu II, Mrs. Effiba Dadzie, Rev. Anthony Eshun, Mr. Michael Asare-Bediako, Mr. Yaw Owusu Sekyere and Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Takoradi on Friday 27 July 2014, Nii Otokunor Sampah, a board member of the National Peace Council, charged them to be proactive to prevent conflicts from degenerating into chaos.

He said the Council has been mandated by the National Peace Council Act, Act 818 of 2011, as an advisory body to mediate in conflicts, which are likely to erupt into violence and intervene after law and order is restored by the Regional Security Council.

It is also mandated to engage in public education and create awareness of conflict indicators within the region and make recommendations to the Regional Coordinating Council and the Regional Security Council on how to improve on the situation.

It is to facilitate the organization of activities that build friendship, promote trust, tolerance, goodwill, and reconciliation between communities.

Nii Sampah noted that the region is relatively peaceful; however it is still saddled with numerous chieftaincy and land disputes and, therefore, entreated them not to lose sight of these challenges.

“This region is described as the “paradox of plenty” or “resource curse” because of its abundance of natural resources, which does not commensurate with the level of development, therefore the potential for people to engage in conflicts for the purposes of the distribution and use of these resources is very high”.

“There is, therefore, an arduous task on the Council to work in harmony with all the stakeholders to sustain peace and tranquility in the region.”

He entreated the Regional Coordinating Council and other stakeholders to make resources available to them to ensure effective delivery. The board members later swore the Oath of Office and Allegiance

CENTRAL REGIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

CENTRAL REGIONAL PEACE COUNCIL (CRPC)

The CRPCs Council has its full complement of 13 members as enshrined in the National Peace Council (NPC) Act (Act 818 of 2011). They are:

1. Mr. Mathew Eghan: Catholic Bishops Conference

2. Very Rev. Emmanuel Entsi Williams: Christian Council of Ghana

3. Rev.Charles Kwaku Fosu: The Ghana Pentecostal Council

4. Bishop Richard Ampadu Duku: National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches

5. Alhaji Sulaiman Adam-Sakyi: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission

6. Sheikh Abubakar Ibrahim: Ahlus Sunnah Muslims

7. Mallam Hassan Ahmed Tijani: Tijaaniya Muslims

8. Mr. Stephen Kweku Gyesi: Practitioners of African Traditional Religion

9.Dasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII: Regional House of Chiefs

10. Nana Amba Eyiaba I: Regional Coordinating Council Rep 1

11. Lucy Owusu-Ansah (Mrs.): Regional Coordinating Council Rep 2

12. Dr. Kenneth Shelton Aikins: Identifiable Groups 1 Institute of Development Studies, UCC

13. Mrs. Gloria Baiden-Koomson: Identifiable Groups 2- Cape Coast Technical University

2.4 Desolution and Reconstitution of CRPC Council The Tenure of office of the maiden CRPCs Council will elapse on 30th June, 2018 after four years and the Regional Secretariat is in the process of reconstituting a new Council as enshrined in the National Peace Council (NPC) Act (Act 818 of 2011). The organisations/institutions which have so far sent in their nominations are:

1. Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan: Identifiable Groups 2 Centre for Awareness New

2. Alhajj Sulaiman Adam-Sakyi: Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Retained

3. Rev. Charles Kwaku Fosu: The Ghana Pentecostal Council Retained

4. Mr. Matthew Eghan: Catholic Bishops Conference Retained

5. Sheikh Abubakar Sadick Ibrahim: Ahlus Sunnah Muslims- Retained

6. Mallam Hassan Ahmed Tijani: Tijaaniya Muslims- Retained

7. Rev. Richardson Aboakye Andah: Christian Council of Ghana-New

8. Bishop John. B. Kofi Bentil: National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches-New

9. Osaberima Kwesi Atta II: Regional House of Chief New

CRPC ACTIVITIES 3.1 Second Quarterly Council The second quarterly meeting of the Council took place at the Central Regional Coordinating Council (CRCC) Conference Room on the 9th May 2018. A total of eight members were present and five members were absent with apologies.

The support staff were the Regional Executive Secretary and the Administrative Manager. The issues discussed covered matters arising out of the previous meetings of the 28th March, 2018 including the following: Aboakyir Festival 2018/Peace building strategies in Effutu municipality.

Visit to the region by European Union Monitoring team

3.2 Aboakyir Festival 2018/Peace building strategies in Effutu The District Executive Secretary reported that the 2018 Aboakyir Festival celebration which was held from 30th April, 2018 to 5th May, 2018 was generally peaceful despite cases of altercations.

Dignitaries who attended the climax of the festival were Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport; Mr Joe Ghartey, the Minister of Railway Development; Dr Henry Lartey, the Leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, Mr John B. Ninson and Central Regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Duncan. Mr. Kwamena Duncan. (see full report of the Aboakyir Festival 2018)

Courtesy call on the Regional Minister

The Central Regional Peace Council paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Regional Minister to discuss plans by the Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) regarding the Aboakyir Festival and to also discuss the disturbing information it has received about threats to the peaceful celebration of the Aboakyir Festival.

According to the Hon. Regional Minister, Neenyi Ghartey VII is the gazetted chief of the area and all factions were advised to behave peacefully and to use the adjudication process to challenge him. After the meeting all parties were satisfied with the preparations made by the REGSEC to ensure adequate peace and security during the period.

SECRETARIAT: The region has three staffs, they are:

1. Mr. Sulley Sumani - Regional Executive Secretary

2. Mr. Charles Ohene-Amoh- District Executive Secretary

3. Mr. George Oko Mensah - Administrative Manager

4. Ms Elizabeth Boduah - Administrative Manager

References

External links

http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JCSD/article/view/28796