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.

Thehe 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.

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