Peace Council Engages Stakeholders at Tolon on Peaceful Elections, Violent Extremism.

Tolon: A day's consultative dialogue meeting with various stakeholders in the Tolon District of the Northern Region has been held to promote peace before, during, and after this year's elections. It was also intended to produce locally approved mechanisms and interventions to prevent terrorism and violent extremism, especially in the context of the elections.According to Ghana News Agency, the event was organized by the National Peace Council with funding support from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the Preventing Violent Extremism in Selected Hotspots in the Context of the 2024 General Election. The project, which is being implemented in 20 constituencies across nine regions, seeks to create more awareness against violent extremism, especially in hotspot constituencies ahead of the elections.The meeting was attended by various stakeholders in the district, including representatives of the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education, security agencies, tr aditional and religious authorities, women groups, and persons living with disabilities. A significant outcome of the meeting was the signing of a peace pact by the Parliamentary Candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tolon Constituency. Alhaji Issah Tia, First Vice Chairperson of the NPP, signed on behalf of the NPP Parliamentary Candidate, while Mr. Ziblim Adam, Tolon Constituency Chairperson of the NDC, signed on behalf of the NDC Parliamentary Candidate.Both representatives pledged their commitment to promoting peace and resolved to use legitimate means to settle grievances without violence. They also pledged to encourage their supporters to refrain from activities that could incite violence and instability in the area. Father Thaddeus Kuusah, Executive Secretary of the Northern Regional Peace Council, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Regional Peace Council and communities to prevent and respond to violent extremism during the elections.General Constable Mr. Alhassan Gafaru Bateesima of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service at the Tolon District Police Command, stressed the need for all parties to rely on the Electoral Commission for credible election information. He noted that many violence cases arise from unverified information from collation centers.Participants at the forum proposed measures to prevent violent extremism in the country, including community sensitization through media on the dangers of extremism and terrorism, stage plays on violence, engagement with political parties and ethnic groups for inclusivity, collaboration with security agencies, and the formation of community watchdog groups to support security efforts in the area.