The Sene East office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has facilitated a police-community engagement under the Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism programme funded by the European Union in Kajaji.

Welcoming participants, the acting district director of the Commission, Mr. David Kumogsua Dubong, said the rise in extremist activities in the neighboring countries makes it important to create the necessary awareness of the threat, especially as the country approaches elections in December.

The District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police Francis Ampofo, said extremist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda have destabilized a number of communities in recent times through abductions and killings with the aid of arms and ammunition, among others, citing Mali, Chad, and Burkina Faso as examples.

He said the situation has become even more critical with the impending elections, as the tense conditions associated with them create fertile grounds for the infiltration of these undesirable elements.

ASP Ampofo therefore called for collaboration between the people and the security agencies in order to nip any potential insurgent activity in the bud, adding that security is a shared responsibility.

While noting the importance of security consciousness on the part of each person, the police commander called for the formation of neighborhood watch committees and assured the people of the protection of the identities of those who volunteer information to his outfit.

The Bono East regional director of the Commission, Mr. Joseph Kwaku Yeboah, who chaired the function, said these militants have now deployed what he called the 'soft approach’ by engaging and recruiting vulnerable youth to further their objectives.

He urged people to report suspicious characters within their communities to the relevant authorities for appropriate action.

The police commander, together with the regional NCCE boss, took turns addressing issues bothering the minds of participants during an open forum.

Present were members of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee, the Local Council of Churches, a representative of the Chief Imam, people living with disabilities, and a number of youth and trade groups.