The Institute of Security and Safety Policy Research (ISSAPR), a civil society organization and security think tank in collaboration with Jatikay Center for Human Security and Peacebuilding has held a one-day northern sector training and capacity building programme on Election and Security Management for media, security agencies and political party representatives to build their capacities in monitoring and reporting on elections and security related issues.

The training program is part of ISSAPR’s nationwide training activities for stakeholders including the media, security agencies, political parties, chiefs, opinion leaders and the youth towards ensuring peace before, during and after the 2020 elections.

Participants drawn from various media houses and security agencies including police, prisons, immigration, BNI were taken through topics such as elections and conflicts in Africa, role of media in security and peace building during elections, political patronage and electoral violence and internal security and election monitoring.

In a welcome address, Director of Research and Policy Analysis at the Institute, Mr. Moses Jatuat underscored the need for the media and security agencies to exhibit high level of professionalism in the discharge of their functions so as to maintain the existing peace and stability of the region and Ghana as a whole, and was hopeful the training which is being held throughout the country will equip the stakeholders with the necessary skills to provide excellent public service on election and security coverage as the nation inches into the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. He charged security agencies and media to collaborate and ensure the best interest of the public is served.

The chairman of the event, Alhaji Razak Saani, northern regional director, NCCE commended ISSAPR and Jatikay Center for organizing the workshop in Tamale and emphasized the need for citizen participation in the democratic governance of the country and that the prevalence of freedom and inclusiveness were key to a free democratic society.

On her part, Madam Janet Chigabatia of the National Peace Council called for citizens to co-exist peacefully and use appropriate means to address disputes.

She further expressed the NPC's continuous efforts in engaging with all stakeholders in ensuring peace before, during and after the general elections. Mr. Lucas Yieyel, Ag. The Regional Director of the Electoral Commission assured the public of the ECs mandate to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.

He also indicated that the Electoral Commission will be undertaking a two-day exhibition exercise in September and urged the public to participate in the exercise so as to compile a credible register for the upcoming 2020 general elections.

A representative of the regional police commander, Chief Supt. Issifu Tank Iddrissu assured the public of maximum security during the election processes, adding that the Tamale Metropolitan Election Security Taskforce has mapped out strategies to effectively address security threats from identified conflict hotspots and violence-prone areas in the area.

Present at the event were the Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, Alhaji Razak Saani, Acting Northern Regional Director of Electoral Commission, Mr. Lucas Yieyel, representative of National Peace Council, Madam Janet Chigabatia, representative of the Northern regional house of chiefs Kasulana Naa Yakubu Bukari, Vicar-General of the Tamale Catholic Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Mathew Yitiereh, Northern regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Abdul Salam, Head of Ahmaddiya Mission in Tamale, Maulvi Omar Abdul Hakeem, representative of regional police commander, Chief Supt. Issifu Tanko Iddrissu, Northern regional Public Relations Officer of Prisons, DSP David Afatsawu, Officer-In-charge of Tamale Female Prisons, DSP Doris Ameku and Head of enforcement at northern regional immigration command ASI Joseph Sosu.

Facilitators of the training event included Mr. Sadiq Adu-twum, Executive Director of the Institute of Security and Safety Policy Research, Mr. Moses Jatuat, Director of Research and Policy Analysis at the Institute of Security and Safety Policy Research, Mr. Adib Saani, Executive Director of Jatikay Center for Human Security and Peacebuilding, and Mr. Albert Yelyang, National Network Co- ordinator of West African Network for Peacebuilding, WANEP-Ghana.

Participants at the event expressed satisfaction with the training and called on ISSAPR to organize more of such programmes in issues of conflict, peace security.