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President John Dramani Mahama yesterday inducted a new governing board for the National Peace Council (NPC) into office, stressing the need for the country to direct its battle cry at poverty and under-development. 

“Our battle as a country is not against our ethnic, religious or political opponents but rather poverty and underdevelopment,” he said at the ceremony at the Flagstaff House.

Membership

The 13–member board is chaired by the Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, who is one of the two nominees of the President on the council. 

He chaired the last governing board.

Other members include the Queenmother of the Asante Mampong Traditional Area, Nana Agyakoma Difie II, the other nominee of the President and only female on the board; the Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, representing the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference; the Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, the representative of the Christian Council of Ghana; Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, representing the National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches, and Maulvi Mohamed Bin Salih, the representative of the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Group.

The rest are Imam Awal Shuaib of the Tijaniyya Muslim Group; Osofo Kofi Atabuatsi, representing practitioners of African traditional religion; Nana Susubiribi Krobea Asante from the National House of Chiefs; Mr Shaibu Abubakar of the West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP Ghana), and Rev. Dr Amu Darku, representing the Institute of Retired Pastors.

They took three oaths — official, allegiance and secrecy — administered by the President.

Peaceful Ghana

Emphasising peace as a major ingredient for national development, President Mahama urged Ghanaians to make peace a major issue as the general election approached.

“Let us all strive to put Ghana first in everything we do. It is only in a peaceful Ghana that we can realise our collective and individual aspirations.

“Violence can never be used to resolve disagreements. Let us, therefore, encourage non-violent responses, including dialogue, negotiation and mediation,” he said.

Peace-building process

Giving some insights into peace-building, Mr Mahama said, “History has demonstrated that peace-building is not applicable in the post-accord phase of any conflict.”

“Indeed, peace-building processes unfold before, during and after periods of conflict and require existing infrastructure to creatively engage stakeholders over time,” he said.

President Mahama stated that the institutionalised processes laid out by the NPC for mediation at local and national levels were worthy of mention.

He said the role of the NPC in the political development of the country could not be understated.

“As we prepare for the presidential and parliamentary elections, I urge you (council) to continue engaging with the various political stakeholders in order to sustain the peace we are currently enjoying in this country,” he added.

Good blend 

Describing the composition of the board as a good blend of experienced people in their fields of endeavour, the President expressed the hope that they would work to further enhance the peace of the country 

He also congratulated the old board on the efforts that it expended in ensuring that peace in the country was sustained.

He urged the council to endeavour to inspire confidence in the people.

“Mediators are facilitators. I, therefore, urge the new governing board that as mediators, you must at all times inspire confidence in all parties that a fair process of negotiation is possible and that their interests and concerns will be respected in this process,” he said.

He pledged his support to the new board in all ways to enable it to deliver on its mandate.

Prime concern

The Most Rev. Prof. Asante said the council was mindful of the fact that the development of the country was hinged on peace.

He, therefore, pledged that it would work to the best of its ability and called for support from all Ghanaians in ensuring that Ghana remained peaceful.

“We pledge not to be bias but to always say the truth,” he said.