Participants in a town hall meeting in Kadjebi have unanimously endorsed the peace and national cohesion campaign of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

They described the campaign as good and timely but it would be meaningless if there was no justice and fairness.

They said the bloody happenings at Ayawaso West Wuogon, Techiman North, Ejura, among other places, would not bring peace and national cohesion if victims were denied justice.

They, thus, tasked the Commission to intensify the campaign by targeting politicians and the youth to avoid violent acts that were likely to disturb the peace of the country.

Identifiable groups

Speaking at the meeting, the Kadjebi District Director of the NCCE, Mr Daniel Agbesi-Latsu, said the Commission was engaging identifiable groups and schoolchildren, especially the Civic Education Club members, with the peace and cohesion message for easy propagation.

The campaign broadly seeks to promote national cohesion and peaceful co-existence, especially in the parts of the country where peace and security are being threatened.

He said national cohesion and peaceful co-existence were cornerstones to national development.

Mr Agbesi-Latsu said tolerance, fairness, respect for each other’s fundamental human rights, respect for the rule of law, among others, were factors that ensured peaceful co-existence in homes, schools, institutions, communities and the nation as a whole.

He said peace did not mean the absence of conflicts since differences would always be there but should resolve it through dialogue, education, knowledge and humane ways.

Divergent views

The Chairman of the Kadjebi District Council of Churches, Rev. Vincent Darkpo, admonished Ghanaians to accept divergent views no matter the situation because peace and cohesion did not come by chance but by choice.

He said national cohesion was strongest when everyone in the country had the opportunity, the resources and the motivation to participate in society as fully as they wished and on an equal basis with others.

An Assistant Civic Education Officer of the NCCE at the Oti Regional Office, Mr Ezekiel Awidi, urged Ghanaians to avoid violence as it led to disunity, underdevelopment and retrogression.

He called on the participants to take part in the decision-making processes at all levels and contribute as well.

He said they needed to avoid apathy towards their communities’ development but rather contribute towards it since the government could not do everything for them.

For his part, the Paramount Chief of Dodo Traditional Area, Dasebre Oduro Guranim I, called on the populace to help NCCE deliver on its constitutional mandate.

He said civic education was a shared responsibility which must be carried out on a daily basis.