The United Nations (UN) – Government of Ghana Joint Programme on Human Security, has opened a capacity building for decentralized local government officials on human security, peace building and transformation in Tamale.
The training dubbed: "Enhancing human security through developing local capacity for holistic community-based conflict prevention in Northern Ghana" is a collaboration of six UN agencies including Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations University, World Food Programme and United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
The training, which is being attended by officials from the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and Yendi Municipality, is a follow up to earlier support in mainstreaming conflict prevention in the medium term development plans of the two assemblies in 2011.
It aims to equip local government officials at the programme areas, which include Tamale, Yendi, Bawku and Wa with skills for the promotion of peace in their respective assemblies as well as the creation of platforms for dialogue between community members and key stakeholders especially the youth and women on key issues that affect their lives.
Some of the focus areas of the training include understanding conflict, conflict analysis, and mapping, conflict monitoring and early warning, governance and decision-making systems in multi-stakeholder contexts.
Speaking at the opening of the tree-day training in Tamale on Tuesday, Madam Rukaya Mohammed, Programme Manager of UN - Human Security Programme underscored the need for human security, saying "it has become increasingly important in today's complex world as it touches on people's survival, livelihood and dignity".
Madam Mohammed said the programmed responded to the complex threats to the development of northern Ghana and drew strengths and expertise of the participating UN agencies leading to success since its inception in 2009.
She expressed the hope that the training would strengthen capacity for local level governance and promote local level development objectives by integrating human security and conflict management concepts and practices into decentralized policy planning and programme implementation.
In a speech read for him, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister spoke about the effects of conflicts on the region's economic infrastructure and urged the participants to integrate knowledge to be gained into policy planning to ensure peace.