Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - The Ministry of Interior has teamed up with the United Nations Development Programme to set up 10-member National Peace Council to promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the country.

The Council, which is under the chairmanship of Cardinal Peter Turkson, Catholic Bishop of Cape Coast is also to create and facilitate spaces for dialogue between national actors and interest groups of peaceful resolution.

Other members of the Council are Professor Irene Odotei and Dr Kofi Agyekum both of the University of Ghana, Mr Kwabena Kesse, Proprietor of Kessben FM in Kumasi; Bishop Francis Lodonu, a Catholic Bishop; and Maulvi Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary in-charge of Ahmadiya Movement in Ghana.

The rest are Sheik Nuhu Osman Sharabutu, the National Chief Imam; Pastor Mensa Otabil, Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church; Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw, Paramount Chief of Techiman Traditional Area; one Naa E.D. Mahami; and Mrs Georgina ina Baiden.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister for the Interior announced the Council in a statement to Parliament on Friday on efforts of the Ministry on the national framework for peace building in Ghana. Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Council was also to build inter-group trust and confidence and engage in negotiation, mediation, reconciliation and other related processes with groups, organizations and interest in conflict with a view to resolve them without violence.

He said the group would also make recommendations to government and other stakeholders on actions to promote trust and confidence between groups as well as on the implementation of agreements reached in the resolution of any conflict.

It would also monitor the implementation of such agreements and resolutions and shall provide strategic advice to governments and other stakeholders on consolidating the nation's stability and preventing conflicts.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said Regional Peace Advisory Councils were to be established and members shall be drawn from key groups and stakeholders in the regions.

The Interior Minister said despite the state of tranquility in Ghana, it had often been shaken off its roots by conflicts, which many of them were violent in nature as to threaten the nation's democracy. "It is in the light of such conflicts that we perceive the urgent need to develop a National Architecture for Peace to help sustain our stability."

He said the Ministry envisaged that under the National Architecture for Peace, District Peace Advisory Councils would be established in all the districts and membership shall be composed of representatives of key groups and stakeholders in the districts.

The role of the Councils shall be to promote peace within the districts, create and facilitate space for dialogue between groups and communities in conflicts.

Mr Kan-Dapaah appealed to Ghanaians not to take for granted the current peace and stability the nation is enjoying, and appealed to Parliament to throw their weight behind the initiative.

Contributing to the statement, Alhaji Abubakar Sumani, NDC-Tamale North commended the Ministry for the creation of the Council noting that violent conflicts did not only led to loss of lives and break ups of families but also drew an area back in terms of development with lack of trust for the people in the area.

He noted that conflicts resolution was not an easy task since it was not easy just tell people to get up and work together as one people after they have been engaged in conflicts.

Alhaji Sumani called for the consideration of the cultural aspect of the people in resolving conflicts and suggested to the Council to as much as possible avoid politics in resolving conflicts.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing emphasized that as a nation, "We must think peace, drink peace and eat peace," and commended the various religious groups in Ghana for their consistent prayers and preaching on peace, which has led to a peaceful Ghana.

Mr. John Ndebugre, PNC- Zebilla, called for regional balance on the composition of the membership of the National Peace Council. He however, said peace transcended the absence of war to the absence of conditions for war, observing that conflicts arose for plenty of people sharing very limited resources.

Dr Benjamin Kumbour, NDC-Lawra-Nandom said conflicts led to development but became a problem when they were violent. He called for the sustenance of justice to ensure that conflict resolution really worked. Dr Kumbour said the Council must assume a national character to ensure a practical manifestation of peace at both regional and district levels, adding that it was necessary for the Council to identify what spoils or promotes peace. 24 Nov. 06