It was also to enable stakeholders to collaborate effectively and ensure concerted efforts to combat violent extremism and terrorism before, during and after this year's elections.

The day's event, held at Salaga in the Savannah Region, was attended by members of the IPDC including traditional authorities, religious leaders, youth and women groups, representatives of political parties, and heads of department amongst other stakeholders in the municipality.

It formed part of the Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism project being implemented by the NCCE with funding support from the European Union and aimed to create a platform for political parties and other key stakeholders to interact to fight violent extremism and terrorism and resolve local conflicts.

Mr Iddrisu Abdul-Latif, the East Gonja Municipal Director, NCCE, during the meeting, said terrorism and other forms of violence including violent extremism had the potential to derail the country's democratic gains.

He advised that as the country prepared for the 2024 general election, "We should help maintain the peace currently blowing in the East Gonja Municipality and Ghana as a whole."
He urged all stakeholders in the area to be vigilant and serve as community watchdogs to ensure law and order as well as devise ways and means to detect youth radicalisation and signs of recruitment.

Mr Mohammed Mahamud Nashiru, the Chairman of the IPDC in the area, spoke against disinformation and accepting financial inducements to vote for certain people, saying the practice only produced incompetent leaders.

He further touched on youth engaging in electoral violence and urged them to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.
He advised media houses and representatives of political parties to be circumspect in their utterances to promote unity and peace.

Mr Osman Agbaglo, an Officer from the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service in the municipality, urged all stakeholders in the area to remain calm and allow peace to prevail assuring the people of the readiness of the Police to ensure peaceful election this year.

He advised members to cultivate habits that reflected respect for human dignity, respect for life, and for all human rights, the rejection of violence in all forms and commitment to the principles of freedom, justice, solidarity, tolerance and understanding.

Representatives of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress pledged to ensure peace before, during and after the Election of 2024 in the area.