He said Ghana needed a united people more than ever to contain violent extremism.

He said building national cohesion and peaceful coexistence for the sustenance of constitutional democracy was of great importance since the country’s security was threatened by the activities of violent extremist groups operating in the neighboring Sahel region with the possibility of spilling over into the country.

Mr Gyasi made the appeal when he was speaking at separate events organised for the Prisons and Immigration officers in Sunyani as part of the 2023 annual constitutional week celebration.

The week’s celebration was on the theme: “30 Years of Consolidating Constitutional Democracy: Building National Cohesion through Civic Education and Participation in Local Governance.”

He emphasized the need to build networks of relationships, trust, and identity between and within different groups of society, establish good relations with neighbours, accept and respect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of others and ensure the free flow of information among people.

Mr Gyasi said a socially cohesive society worked toward the well-being of all its members, fought exclusion and marginalization, created a sense of belongingness as well as promoted trust, freedom of association and freedom of worship.

He said Article 35(5) of Ghana’s 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution enjoined the state to promote the integration of all Ghanaians and prohibited discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed, or other beliefs.

Ms. Cynthia Anima Boadu, the Bono Regional Director of NCCE, said the proper implementation of decentralisation and local governance would lead to the overall development of the country.

She, therefore, appealed to the security personnel to exercise their power to vote as citizens in the upcoming District Level Elections (DLEs) and urged them to maintain law and order at the polling stations during the upcoming DLEs.

Ms. Boadu enjoined the officers to act and go about their duties with professionalism to engender confidence and trust in the public and urged citizens to resort to the use of lawful means to address their grievances.