The Upper West Regional Coordination Council (RCC) has held a joint security service-civilian peace campaign in Wa in order to promote peace ahead of the 2024 general election.
The campaign attracted personnel from the various security services in the region, representatives from departments and agencies, and Civil Society Organisations.
They marched through principal streets of Wa at the weekend, amidst brass band music, and propagated message of peace to the public.
The participants wielded placards, some of which read: "Love is our power;" "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere;" "We are stronger together;" "Peaceful Solutions for a Better World" and "Conflicts resolution starts with understanding and respect."
The campaign formed part of the implementation of the joint UNFPA/UNDP Peace Building Fund (PBF) project, being implemented by some institutions including the Upper West Regional Department of Gender and PronNet North with coordination from the RCC.
The regional peace walk climaxed the joint civilian-security peace campaign in the region after similar events were held in the Sissala West and Wa West Districts, where the PBF project is being implemented.
Addressing the people to climax the campaign, Ms Rita Nyorka, the UNFPA Focal Person at the Regional Coordination Council, called on Ghanaians "to give peace a chance in the upcoming elections by allowing the necessary structures to work."
"As we go into the election, the most important thing is for us to take our decision through the ballot paper, and then we should allow the institutions that are supposed to work to do their work well," she indicated.
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Ms Nyorka explained that the project was also to create awareness that gender-based violence is potential source of conflict.
He called on the people to give women the opportunity to take part in decision-making.
Ms Charity Batuure, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Gender, emphasised that every person in Ghana, security personnel and civilians had a role to play in maintaining the nation's peace.
"This year being an election year, we want to ensure that before, during, and after the elections we still maintain one Ghana and we all live in peace," she indicated.
On his part, Mr Victor Nuworkpor, the Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), observed that violence extremism was a threat to Ghana and there was the need for concerted efforts by all to prevent it. He, therefore, reminded the people of the mantra: "See something, say something," as a means for civilians to support the security agencies in protecting the country from extremist groups. Representatives from the Upper West Regional Peace Council, National Youth Authority and ProNet North, among others, participated in the peace walk. --GNA
