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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged its readiness to give the needed support to Ghana for the conduct of a smooth and peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections in 2016.

Mr. Bossman Owusu, Communication Analyst at UNDP, said it was determined to provide financial and technical assistance towards this goal.

He was speaking at a meeting with members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Peace Council in Sunyani, as part of a three-day visit to acquaint himself with the activities and programmes of the world body’s partners in the region.

He said the UNDP would continue to collaborate with key actors and stakeholders, to tackle identified challenges for a successful poll.

He called for the combined effort of all political parties and the relevant mandated state institutions, to protect and sustain the peace.

That was why the UNDP was spending huge sums of money to organize training programmes to build the capacity of these institutions to enable them to perform and live up to expectation.

Mr. Owusu also appealed to the national and regional peace councils to step up their engagement with political parties and traditional rulers not only to prevent, but efficiently manage conflicts, as preparations for Election 2016 gathered momentum.

Alhaji Suallah Abdallah, Executive Secretary of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Peace Council, said partisan politics, chieftaincy and land disputes, were the major triggers that could endanger the area’s peace.

He said the Council was working closely with the Regional House of Chiefs to help solve the about 47 raging chieftaincy disputes in the region.

He announced plans to open a secretariat in the Asunafo North Municipality to help deal with land litigation and political conflicts, and hailed the UNDP for its tremendous support.