The members of Regional Peace Councils in the Northern Sector and technical staff have been urged to intensity sensitisation of the residents on the need for peace and prevention of extremism at the country’s border communities.
The Deputy Commander of Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Air Cdre George Arko-Dadzie, who made the call said “terrorists and the violent extremists” in the neighbouring countries necessitated the strengthening of security and surveillance at the communities close to the borders.
“Terrorists and violent extremists also exploit the latent ethnic animosities and the absence of state presence in some of these border towns. As such, there is the need for partners to remain committed in this fight against Terrorism and Violent Extremism by building the resilience of local towns and communities to prevent recruitment,” the deputy commander emphasised.
Air Cdre Arko-Dadzie made the call on Monday at the opening of the fifth and final courses series of the Specialised Course on Preventing Violent Extremism in Tamale.
The course, organised by KAIPTC and sponsored by USAID, was attended by fourteen members of the Peace Council in the northern sector.
The course was aimed at building capacities of the technical staff of the National Peace Council and members in the Northern part of Ghana.
Air Cdre Arko-Dadzie indicated that extremism and violence was eminent and that the security agencies needed to collaborate with other stakeholders to always be on the alert.
He said that the security agencies were being challenged as a result the extremism at countries closest to Ghana, especially the Sahel counties.
The Deputy Commander stressed the need for communities “to be alert and ready, to co-operate with security agencies.”
He commended the US government for the continuous support and funding of KAIPTC courses.
“I wish to express KAIPTC’s gratitude once again to the US Government for funding this course, we could not have organised this without the support,” Air Cdre Arko-Dadzie added
Deputy Country Representative, USAID/OTI Littorals Regional Initiative (LRI), Ms. Dalia Haj-Omar on her part entreated the participants to take the course seriously.
FROM YAKUBU ABDUL-MAJEED, TAMALE