Ashanti Peace Council Inaugurated

A Conflict Mapping exercise carried out recently by the National Peace Council in collaboration with the University of Cape Coast, showed that every region in Ghana is challenged by numerous and diverse conflicts. 

In the Ashanti Region in for instance, some of the threats to peace include Jamasi, Juaso, Nkenkasu, and Esumegya chieftaincy conflicts. 

The Chairman of the National Peace Council Right Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante who disclosed this noted that these conflicts do not only threaten the peace of the region but also its socio-economic development as every development initiative for human security is affected. 

Violent conflicts often take a toll on human capital, physical infrastructure and economic activities. Right Rev Prof. Asante was inaugurating a 13 member Ashanti Region branch of the National Peace Council in Kumasi. 

According to him, most often funds earmarked for development projects often have to be diverted to provide for security needs thus putting a strain on the ability of government and the community to provide other essential public amenities such as education and health. 

The Chairman noted that the need for peace in Ghana has never been more apparent than at the present time, when elections are more fiercely contested, the youth becoming increasingly agitated over limited opportunities, and with impunity eating into the very fabric of the society as well as threat of extremism looming large in the sub region.  

Right Rev. Prof. Asante said peace is not the absent of war and therefore charged members of the Regional Body to rise to the occasion because of the critical task ahead. He asked members to be neutral in the exercise of their functions as required by law. 

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Joseph Yamin said the role of the Peace Council in national development cannot be quantified and promised that the Regional Coordinating Council would do all it could to support  the Council’s operations. 

A member of the Council Mrs. Dorothy Danso on behalf of her colleagues promised to be proactive in resolving conflicts.

GBC