Nkwanta Peace Talks Yields Results

The traditional leaders and community representatives from Adele, Akyode, and Challa ethnic groups have stated their commitment to ensure lasting peace returns to Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region.

The leaders made the pledge after a two-day dialogue facilitated by the National Peace Council at Nkwanta with the traditional leaders signing onto a 13-point declaration to end the conflict and to ensure peaceful coexistence.

Pledge for Peace

Representatives of each traditional area, including Nana Boafo Amoah IV, for the Adele Traditional Council, Nana Obombo Lupowura Serwura II, Paramount Chief of the Akyode

Traditional Council, and Nana Addo Kenewu Chedderi, Jojane of the Challa Traditional area, signed the declaration to reaffirm their commitment to respect the agreement and to work towards peace in Nkwanta and surrounding communities.

The leaders including their respective Queen mothers and the youth representatives pledged to collaborate to address outstanding issues through inclusive and non-violent approach to renew peacebuilding processes in Nkwanta.

Appeal by National Peace Council

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Peace Council, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, in a remark commended the traditional leaders for their commitment to work towards peace in Nkwanta.

He lauded their readiness to sign the peace declaration, urging them to nurture, sustain and develop the commitments they made.

Touching on the essence of peace, Bishop Fianu stated that peace and development could only be realised and maintained in an environment built on trust, forgiveness, fairness, tolerance, compromise, cooperation, and the non-violent resolution of differences.

He equally entreated the media to be circumspect in their reportage and to help sustain and amplify the agreement rather than inflame tensions.

The Peace Dialogue 

The Nkwanta Peace Dialogue was convened to address ongoing tensions and conflicts within the Nkwanta area, promote reconciliation among stakeholders, and to develop sustainable pathways to long-term peace. The session, aimed at creating neutral platforms and developing actionable recommendations for peaceful coexistence, brought together traditional leaders, security personnel, the media and Official from the National Peace Council.

Participants in the dialogue acknowledged the misery, pain, insecurity, and disruption caused by the protracted conflict, which has largely stemmed from disputes over land and chieftaincy in Nkwanta.

They reflected on the escalation of hostilities that re-emerged in November 2021 and the severe toll the situation had taken on lives, property, livelihoods, and social cohesion.

The traditional leaders from the three groups expressed deep concern about rumours, mistrust, and fear that had strained relationships, weakened community bonds, and increased the economic and social costs of the conflict.

Key Reaccommodation

Among key agreements reached at the dialogue include the following: that the peaceful coexistence of the three ethnic groups is paramount.

The illegal importation of firearms into the Nkwanta Municipality must cease immediately.

There must be a cessation of all armed violence by the three main feuding parties, Adele, Akyode, and Challa, and allied groups, with a commitment to non-violent methods of conflict resolution.

All ethnic groups within the Nkwanta South municipality must accord security agencies’ respect and avoid interfering in the discharge of their lawful duties.

Security agencies must investigate and conclude all reported cases of violence involving all parties, including Adele, Akyode, Challa, and any other residents within the municipality.

All citizens of Nkwanta are to cease sharing rumours and misinformation through social media and all other channels that undermine peace.

The leadership of Adele, Akyode, and Challa, and allied groups, must immediately call on their people particularly the youth to cease violent and armed attacks regardless of provocation and to engage with the joint implementation and monitoring committee to be established.

All parties must show utmost respect for each other’s rights and dignity while continuing engagements to resolve the dispute.

As part of the roadmap to peace, three ethnic groups agreed to set-up a joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee to ensure the realisation of the commitments outlined in the peace declaration document.

NPC, Partners boosts Peace strides with DRIVE INDEX

To bolster Ghana's continuing commitment to peace, stability, and democratic resilience, the National Peace Council (NPC) and its allies launched the Development and Resilience Index Against Violent Extremism (DRIVE INDEX).

Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Chairman of the NPC Governing Board, in a statement read on his behalf  noted that the Drive Index is "a cutting-edge, evidence-based decision-making tool designed to help the state and its partners understand what makes communities resilient—or vulnerable—to violent extremist influence," said.

"The DRIVE INDEX provides us with precise, localized, and actionable data to guide prevention efforts by integrating community perceptions, psychosocial factors, governance indicators, and development realities," he stated.

The planned pilot, which runs from October 2025 to June 2026, focuses on co-creation, national ownership, and institutional engagement. The project will take place in the five Northern regions of Ghana because of the risk from cross-border threats.

Hoff Mirko, Deputy Director of Resilience for Peace in a presentation showcased the essence of the DRIVE-Ghana, the measuring the resilience and how to deliver.  

Dr. Edward Apratwum, Head of Governance and Inclusive Growth at United Nations Development Programme, stressed that sustainable peace requires the attainment of security, social development, noting that peace was not the absence of conflict.

The DRIVE-Ghana aligns with Ghana’s existing frameworks, including the National Framework for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism. By embedding DRIVE indicators into national and local planning processes, we can strengthen coordination among institutions, optimize resource allocation, and ensure that policies are guided by evidence rather than assumptions.

Chance for Childhood empowers Parents of children with disabilities

Chance for Childhood (CfC), a child-centred NGO promoting safe and inclusive learning environments, has launched a Livelihood Empowerment Initiative to support parents of children with disabilities participating in CfC’s Inclusive Education Project in Accra.

The initiative aims to improve household income, reduce financial stress, and enhance educational opportunities for children with disabilities by strengthening the economic resilience of their families.

As part of the programme, CfC awarded small grants totalling GH₵100,000.00 to 20 parents to enable them invest in sustainable livelihood activities. Beneficiaries used the funds to purchase start-up kits and expand existing businesses, including sewing machines, deep freezers, container shops, convenience goods, cosmetics and food items.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Richard Opoku, Inclusion and Safeguarding Lead at Chance for Childhood, highlighted the persistent economic challenges faced by families of children with disabilities.

“Despite progress in access to education, many parents of children with disabilities continue to face economic hardship. Parents often sacrifice their financial stability to care for their children. Through this initiative, we are empowering parents to create sustainable livelihoods that strengthen their families and ensure that children with disabilities can learn and thrive in inclusive environments,” he said. 

Mr. Opoku added that by equipping parents with financial literacy skills and access to small business opportunities, CfC were supporting them to generate stable incomes to have positive impact on education, inclusion and overall well-being of their children with disabilities.

In addition to the grants, parents participated in a five-day financial literacy training facilitated by Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. The training covered key topics such as budgeting, savings and small-scale business management. Opportunity International also supports the programme by managing savings accounts opened for all participants.

Beneficiaries of the initiative shared how the support has transformed their livelihoods and ability to care for their children.

“The support came at the right time. My trading capital had reduced, but the grant helped me restock and keep my business running. I no longer worry about closing down. With the investment made into my business, I am now able to buy medication for my child when the one provided at the eye clinic finishes,” said Abigail Asiamah.

“Before the CfC grant, I could only buy a small quantity of items to sell. With the support, I expanded my stock, and now customers no longer leave my table because what they need is always available. This school term, I was able to save to pay my children’s school fees and provide books for them,” added Rahinatu Musah.

The Livelihood Empowerment Initiative is implemented with funding support from Theirworld, and aligns with CfC’s mission to ensure that every child can live with dignity and reach their full potential, regardless of ability or background.

NPC PREACHES PEACE IN SCHOOLS

The Department of Capacity Development and Outreach (CDO) of the National Peace Council (NPC) has rounded up a series of engagement with15 Senior High/ Technical Schools with a call on students to be agents of peace. 

The sensitisation exercise which engaged over 22,500 students encouraged students to reject violence and always adopt nonviolent ways of addressing grievances.

The NPC Governing Board Member, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, speaking to Students at the Kanda Technical Institute in Accra, tasked students to be disciplined, respect authority, and be tolerant of each other.

Noting that "discipline is the bridge between your aim and your goals in life" Sheikh Shaibu urged the students to be careful about the choices they made in life to utilise the investment in their education. 

The Director of Capacity Development and Outreach, NPC, Mrs. Janet Sarney-Kuma, who took them through the mandate of the National Peace Council, highlighted the values of peace, tolerance, discipline, respects, cooperation and non-violence to enhance peaceful coexistence at the school.

She entreated students to eschew violence, coexist peacefully with others while sharing some practical ways of addressing and managing conflicts among students and within the school’s space. 

The Director explained the causes and effects of conflicts and how they impacted on our society, and encouraged students to be advocates and Ambassadors of Peace.

The Principal of the Institute, Madam Emily Akua Sam thanked the delegation from the NPC and for the messages they shared with them.

She noted the essence of promoting peace and expressed the hope of working with NPC to keep on sensitising students on peaceful coexistence.

Essence of School Campaign

The recent upsurge of incidents violence in schools caused harm, deaths and destruction of some school properties. To quell the rate of these incidents the National Peace Council rolled out School Violence Prevention and Sensitisation Programme across some selected Senior High Schools in Greater Accra Region.

 

The initiative geared towards promoting peaceful coexistence among students, largely equipped school authorities with tools to prevent and manage conflicts effectively. By addressing the root causes of violence and fostering a culture of tolerance, the NPC aims to make schools spaces safer and conducive for teaching and learning. 

Schools Engaged

The CDO spearheaded the campaign engaged 15 Senior High/ Technical Schools, including St. Margaret Mary Senior High Technical, Kinbu Senior High Technical, Accra Technical Training Centre, Amasaman Senior High Technical, and Ordogonno Senior High Schools.

Others were St. John's Grammar School, Accra High, O’Rielly Senior High, Christian Methodist Senior High, and the West African Senior High as well as Ngleshie Amanfrom Senior High and Tema Senior High Schools.

An Honourable Truce

In the truce of a Tuesday, are tests of our testaments.
But as we trace the interests in our tents while talking our tastes, we ought to be mindful of our collective survival.
As missionaries on this mission of a life theatre, we must be willing to act right with condour.

With appeals for a dutiful honourable truce, we must guard against complacency, even as we internalise equity, fairness and respect for the common good.
Greetings from me to you.

©KYB ✍🏿22/10/2024

Live, Learn Leverage

Every sunrise is an opportunity to live.

Every new day is a gift to live and learn.

Every new week is a mystery pack moment for us to live, learn and leverage for our growth. 

Please take care and stay positive, even as you utilise these moments. Greetings 🌿🌹

©KYB ✍🏿21/10/2024

Appreciate Them

Not all people will like you.

Not all people will believe you.

Not all people will accept you.

Not all people will support you.

Not all people will care for you.

But if you find the few who care,

Appreciate and cherish them.

May your day be blessed.

©KYB ✍🏿17/04/2024

WRC STRATEGISE TO ENHANCE ITS WORK

Staff of the Water Resources Commission (WRC), have reinforced their resolve to improve water resources management in the country with new strategies.

The Acting Executive Secretary of WRC, Dr. Bob Alfa speaking at a Retreat programme for staff of the Commission in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, noted the essence of the retreat to reflect on ways to enhance the work of the Commission. 

The participants reflected on the performance of the Commission and recommended ways to improve upon the visibility, funding, and water resources management. 

As part of the Retreat under the theme: Improving Operations of the Commission, the staff toured the White Volta Secretariat in Bolgatanga, Paga Crocodile Pond, and Tono Dam. 

#WaterResourcesCommission

#waterresourcesmanagement

Bail Our Waterbodies

Several seasons ago, the story of Konsu, KatƐ, Wawa and Menu were told, about how they supported hundreds of communities and people living in the armpit of a rural setting in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region. Although the four were not the only rivers, streams and water sources of the people within their localities, the people’s folklore venerates, revere and treasure these rivers. For the many uses they made of the water- irrigating their farms in the dry season, serves as a source of drinking water for domestic use, source of food as fishing, transportation among other uses. Over the years, we have seen the effects of the blistering attacks on our water bodies whose beauty have bastardised and crucified in some people’s quest to mine gold, mine sand, farm closer to the water bodies and harvesting the vegetation around our waterbodies. The least said about the Rivers Pra, Ankobra, Tano, Birim among others the better. But can we continue like this into the future. Is this practice of harassing, molesting and struggling our rivers to death sustainable? Time to Bail Our Waterbodies We cannot belabour the fact that some of our major river ecosystems have been severely damaged by a multitude of human pressures, such as pollution, damming or overexploitation, and this has become more intense over the past five decades. For instance, the fragmentation of river connecting towns and villages obstructed by illegal miners, has not only interrupted survival routes of many freshwater species, but have resulted in heavy pollution of our water. The point-source pollution and diffuse pollution, such as pesticides, fertilizers, industrial and household wastes, have also greatly impacted rivers as a result of increasing urbanization and agricultural production. More recently, the threats caused by developers near water sources and in floodplains poses a higher risk, reducing the biodiversity area around rivers sources. These pressures have caused severe effects on the ecosystem, the economy, health of our environment as well and are likely to be exacerbation in the near future by additional pressures such as climate change. The time to bail our waterbodies from this eminent death may sound strange, but yet it's an urgent call for all to act today to save our dying rivers. Bailing our rivers is not another buzz word but a crucial mission to save all rivers in critical condition. As valuable as they are to us, bailing our rivers, which has been a concern for the Water Resources Commission and other institutions as well as individual is a burning mission that cannot be put on hold any longer. The urgency of this mission requires all hand on deck approach to salvage our dying rivers. Critical Action To put this action into force, we need to critically plan and think through practical ways to invest and take proper care of our rivers and water bodies. We must cultivate and prevent further destruction of our water bodies to secure, restore and rejuvenate the treasure of our waterbodies. That said, it is being proposed for everyone to take up the fight to be the active voices and advocates for our waterbodies and to save our rivers from further suffocation. And we realise that mining in the riverbeds, farming closer to waterbodies as well as emptying our solid, liquid, and toxic waste into our waterbodies is not profitable to anyone, but a harmful and hypocritical venture that would cost us hugely and wipe our ancestry. We need to tell would be homeowners or estate developers that they cannot continue building on waterways and expect to be spared the troubles of floods and other attendant challenges. As a people, we understand that we cannot bleed our waterbodies, pollute them in our search for Gold and other minerals and expect God to listen to our prayers. We cannot make cosmetic campaigns about our transgressions and abuse of our environment and escape the damning consequences of our uncaring ways. You and I should gravely be concerned and act in our small ways to bail our waterbodies from dying from the gaols of our greed, uncaring and incorrect ways and expect everything to be okay. The opportune time for us to act was yesterday. Today is another chance for us to demonstrate to ourselves and our forebears as well as children unborn that, we are blessed with the good compassion to preserve our common good, our common but valuable water resources.

Our Rivers

Flowing through the land Carrying life and hope River, you are a gift You nourish the soil You quench the thirst River, you are a source You reflect the sun You sparkle in the moon River, you are a beauty You shape the rocks You carve the valleys River, you are a force You join the sea You cycle again River, you are a wonder This river, this concrete river, Becomes a steaming, bubbling Snake of water, pouring over Nightmares of wakefulness; Pouring out a rush of birds; A flow of clear liquid On a cloudless day.

GHANA, HUNGARY, ZAMBIA KICK-STARTS TWINNING INITIATIVE

The Water Convention’s new Twinning Initiative between Ghana, Hungary and Zambia held its initial meeting in Accra today to enhance transboundary cooperation.  

The Twinning Initiative from 2023-2024, aims at supporting Zambia's accession process to the Water Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and the implementation of the Convention’s principles in Ghana and Zambia. 

Partners at the meeting, include the Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana,  H.E. Tamás Feshés, who led the delegates from the Ministry of Interior Hungary (MoI), General Directorate of Water Management of Hungary (GDWM). Others were representative from the Ministry ofWater Development and Sanitation of Zambia (MWDS), as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources of Ghana (MSWR), Water Resources Commission of Ghana,  and Water Convention Secretariat.  

#TwiningInitiative

#WaterConvention

#TransboundaryWatercourses