Osafo Maafo: Change Peace Council To Justice And Peace Council

The National Peace Council (NPC) was set up by law to promote peaceful resolution of conflicts at all levels of government, and to facilitate and develop mechanisms for conflict prevention, management, resolution and to build sustainable peace in the country. In November 10, 2011, the late President John Evans Atta Mills inaugurated a 13-member committee to constitute the NPC board and charged members to discharge their legal duties without fear or favour, in maintaining peace the country is currently enjoying. They are also to raise awareness surrounding the use of non-violent strategies in response to conflict through networking, coordination and campaigning. The group has so far been dealing with issues bordering on chieftaincy, labour and political fronts. The council embarked on peace talks during the simmering tension that characterized the 2008 and 2012 general elections. Analysing the duties of the NPC, a former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo is of the opinion that Justice should be embedded in the name of the NPC because there cannot be lasting peace without ensuring that justice prevails. Citing a similar group in the Vatican headed by his Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson: Vatican Justice and Peace Council, Mr. Osafo Maafo indicated that it is about time Ghana follows suit. �We refer to God as a just God and Jesus Christ as a Prince of Peace. Often we work with the peace leaving justice. For equity and fairness, the name needs to be changed to National Justice and Peace Council. If justice is added, they will think of fairness in their everyday activity�the law even supports it. Justice and Peace goes hand in hand and must be used as such�� he opined during an interview with Kwami Sefa-Kayi on Monday.