Madam Naana Eyiah, Deputy Minister of the Interior says Ghana can best consolidate its peace when citizens assume a collective role in the nation’s peace architecture and not shirk the responsibility to govern.
This she said calls for all to contribute and promote peaceful co-existence regardless of gender, religion, ethnic origin and economic or social status.
The Deputy Minister said this at a seminar for inmates of the Senior Correctional Centre (SCC) in Accra.
The event was jointly organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) and the SCC under the auspices of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS).
It was on the theme: “Recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable World.”
She said if Ghana’s youthful population was given the needed attention and investment, they could unearth their potential to the benefit of the country.
“On the contrary, the future of our beloved country will be in danger if we allow our youthful excitement to misguide our view and regard for one another’s social-economic differences,” she said.
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Madam Eyiah said in an open society like that of Ghana, values such as peace, trust and understanding were some of the cornerstones for building a peaceful country.
She said citizens should do their best to eliminate influences that led to fear and rejection of others and help young people to develop capacities for independent judgment, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.
Madam Eyiah advised young offenders not to be bitter with themselves or with society for being confined at the Centre but see their presence there as a period of learning and reformation.
Reverend Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman, NPC, said the Council chose to mark the event at the SCC to promote sustainable peace by educating the juveniles on the need to avoid resorting to violence in settling interpersonal disputes, differences or conflicts in and out of the Centre.
He urged them to promote peace by standing up against any acts of hate and spread compassion, kindness and hope.
The Chairman said the NPC operated on six key values – tolerance, trust-building, dialogue, diversity, inclusiveness and integrity.
He encouraged the young offenders to imbibe these values and live by them.
“The Centre is training you to get some vocational skills to aid your re-integration in society. Imbibing these values will ensure that you are able to live a life free of any troubles that may land you back in a place where some of your freedoms will be curtailed,” he said.
He urged officers at the Centre to treat the juveniles with love and care, being hopeful that they would become role models of tolerance during their stay in the facility.
“Please show them love and care. Help them erase bitterness against society and against people who may have contributed to their unfortunate situation. It is our hope that they will return to society as agents of peace to support the mandate of the Peace Council in sustaining the peace of Ghana,” he said.
In a speech read on behalf of Mr Isaac Kofi Egyir, Director General, Ghana Prisons Service, appealed for Personal Protective Equipment, vaccines and test kits to keep the inmates protected against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director General said the Centre needed support for the payment of examination fees of Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)and National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) candidates.
Mr Egyir also appealed for text books for the students and tool kits for those undergoing vocational training.
The Chairman of the NPC donated a table tennis court, toiletries, bottles of drinks and water to the Centre on behalf of the Council.
