Accra: Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, has informed President John Dramani Mahama about the Ministry’s initiative to construct a permanent office facility for the National Peace Council, to be named the ‘Peace House’. This initiative is intended to serve as a legacy project during President Mahama’s administration.
According to Ghana News Agency, the announcement was made during the swearing-in ceremony of a 13-member reconstituted Governing Board of the National Peace Council at the Presidency in Accra. The board is chaired by Reverend Father Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, the Catholic Bishop of Ho Diocese, and comprises 10 men and three women. The National Peace Council, established by the National Peace Council Act, 2011, is tasked with preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts to build sustainable peace in Ghana.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak emphasized the Council’s efforts in maintaining the country’s peace and noted that Ghana has been consistently ranked as the most peaceful country in West Africa over the past decade, except for 2023. He also mentioned that Ghana is currently the fourth most peaceful country in Africa, indicating room for improvement.
The Minister highlighted the Council’s strategic interventions, such as constituency and national level dialogues, which have encouraged political parties to resolve conflicts through peaceful democratic means. In 2024, the Council facilitated the signing of the fourth presidential peace pact by all 12 presidential candidates, recognized internationally as a home-grown solution to internal democratic tension.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak noted the positive impact of these interventions, as evidenced by the calm in historically volatile constituencies like Asutifi South and Asunafo North post-elections. However, he acknowledged disturbances in areas such as Damongo and Ablekuma North, pledging the Council’s continued efforts to address these challenges with stakeholder support.
The Minister also revealed that the international community has recognized Ghana’s efforts, with the Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC) proposing that Ghana chair and host the organization. This would involve relocating GAAMAC’s headquarters from Switzerland to Ghana. The Council seeks full support from the President and government to reinforce Ghana’s effectiveness in the international system.