The Ashanti Regional branch of the National Peace Council has hinted of collaborating with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to set up Peace Clubs in all Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the region.
This, the council believes will groom the Ghanaian youth to be peace-loving citizens and also help them to sustain same in their communities.
The council also indicated that the formation of such clubs in the schools will bring students from different backgrounds together and also make them peace ambassadors both in the schools and their communities.
This was revealed during an engagement with students at the Islamic Senior School (ISSEC) in Kumasi as part of the World Peace Day event.
Speaking to Citi News, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Peace Council, Right Reverend Christopher Nyarko Andam said his outfit is engaging key stakeholders and will soon contact management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the region to set up peace clubs in schools.
“Organizing some form of clubs that will also deal with peace, it will help most of the students to embrace peace and then make themselves ambassadors of peace”, he disclosed
The 2019 World Peace Day which is on the theme ‘Climate Action for Peace” stresses on immediate action by all to lower greenhouse emissions, build resilience and improve education on climate change.
Climate change causes clear threats to international peace and security as natural disasters displace three times as many people of those affected by conflicts, forcing millions to flee their homes to seek safety elsewhere.
The Peace Council emphasized that the theme for this year’s event draws attention to the importance of combating climate change as a way to protect peace throughout the world.
Addressing students during the event, Right Reverend Nyarko Andam said concerted efforts are needed to sustain Ghana’s peace.
“Peace is a collective responsibility that no single individual or stakeholder can solely achieve. Each and every individual has a role to play in the peace building process”, he urged
He also appealed to political parties to be mindful of their activities ahead of the 2019 proposed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly (MMDAs) elections as well as the 2020 general elections.
Religious and traditional leaders reminded the students to be law abiding and also adopt positive attitudes towards peace in their endeavors.
Secretary to the Council of Ullama and Zongo Chiefs in the Ashanti Region, Sheik Ahmed Saeed emphasized that peace is an important tool that must be embraced by all.
He cited some verses in the Holy Q’uran and the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) that emphasize on peace.
Ashanti Regional Executive Secretary of the Peace Council, Reverend Emmanuel Badu Amoah said the Ghanaian youth have a key role to play in sustaining the peace of the country.
He mentioned that peace is using non-violence approach to resolve differences through dialogue and hence there was the need to use the right structures to preserve the peace Ghana is currently enjoying.
Senior House Master for the Islamic Senior High School (ISSEC), Suleiman Salifu Zampaligri admonished youth in the Zongo communities to eschew from acts that will mar the peace of the country.
He lauded the initiative by the peace council to setup peace clubs in the schools and expressed his school’s readiness to embrace such initiative.