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The Northern Region House of Chiefs (NRHC) has called for the active involvement of the youth in peace advocacy, to promote peace and stability in the country.
The Chief of Kpano in the Nanton District in the Northern Region, Kpan-Naa Abubakari Andani, who made the call on behalf of the house, said it was very important to involve the youth in peace advocacy because they were energetic, creative and had the ability to discover new ideas in solving problems.
Engaging the youth in peace advocacy, he added, would enhance efforts towards maintaining peace, as they would serve as peace ambassadors in society. “The youth are considered as cultural bridge-builders, creating understanding, cooperation and peace among different social, ethnic and religious groups.
“Their ability to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds makes them significant facilitators in conflict resolution,” he said. Kpan-Naa Andani made the call at the opening of a two-day training on Preventing Violent Extremism for selected youth in Tamale.
The training, organised by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS), seeks to equip the youth with the knowledge to detect, report and prevent activities of violent extremists. It formed part of the Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) II project being implemented by CRS with funding support from the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana, to improve civil trust and confidence in security services, for the prevention of violent extremism.
Kpan-Naa Andani expressed worry over the growing phenomenon of drug abuse among the youth in the region and called for concerted efforts to help nip it in the bud. “To ensure the effective contribution of the youth in peacebuilding to prevent violent extremism, it is important to provide education and the necessary resources required and develop control mechanisms to regulate the behaviour of the youth,” he added.
A section of the participants in the training
For his part, the Head of Office, CRS, Tamale Sub Office, Timothy Akanpabadai, emphasised the consequences of violent extremism and conflict to society and admonished the youth not to allow themselves to be used to destabilise peace in their respective communities.
He also admonished them to be on high alert and report suspected incidents that could destabilise the peace and security of the country.
