About 65 young men and women drawn from 13 youth groups in the Pru east district of the Bono east region have pledged to promote peace to ensure the security and development of the district.

The pledge was made in a communique issued at the end of an engagement with the National Commission for Civic Education under the ‘Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism’ programme in Yeji.

According to the district director of the Commission Mr., Emmanuel Nimoh, the threat of extremist activities by groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State, the Taliban and Al Shabab especially in neighboring West African countries like Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mali, Niger and Togo makes it necessary for Ghana to be on high alert in order to prevent a similar fate or at worst contain it if it should happen.

He said the Commission with the support of the European Union carried out a research on the issue aimed at ascertaining the knowledge and attitudes of the people towards the problem adding that it is based on the findings of the study that they are engaging various identifiable bodies to discuss ways by which the problem could be nipped in the bud.

Inspector Serwonuku Mordey of the Ghana Immigration Service who spoke on violent extremism said it is important for both individuals and communities to live in harmony with each other and asked all to constantly be on the lookout for suspicious characters.

He said it will be important to train volunteers to provide security at places for mass gatherings like churches and mosques and urged landlords to do thorough background checks on prospective tenants especially foreigners.

Reverend Elijah Obeng Baffour-Adjei of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana speaking on peace building and national cohesion indicated that peace is very essential to our existence as a people quoting the books of John 20:21 and Mathew 9:5.

He said respect for the rights of others goes a long way in ensuring peace which is a very vital ingredient for development.

Dr. Imurana Mohammed the Director of programmes of the Commission who graced the occasion expressed his delight with the contributions of participants and urged them to carry the message to their various communities in order to increase awareness on the issue.