Adopt ADR to Resolve Conflict – NCCE

He is therefore calling on all citizens to be conscious of their immediate environment and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate institutions.

He added that Ghana’s legal system encourages the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms in resolving conflicts among citizens, “adopting the ADR would help reduce the number of cases currently in our Courts.”

Reverend Adzika made the appeal during an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting, which was held at the premises of the Akatsi NCCE office.

He made mention of the Court Act of 1993 (ACT 459), the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 2010 (ACT 798), and the National Peace Council Act of 2011 (ACT 818) to buttress his point.

Reverend Forestone Francis Korshie Tsagli, Chairman of the Akatsi South Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), in his remark, thanked the NCCE and the Ministry of National Security for providing an important platform such as IPDC to dialogue on the way forward on the numerous reported cases of kidnapping, ritual murdering, arm robberies, hormone violence, and activities of the secessionist movement, and vigilante groups in Ghana, as the canker was becoming more of national security threat.

Reverend Tsagli revealed that all stakeholders and especially, political parties have a significant role to play in promoting national cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

Mr. Oral-Robert Amenyo, the Deputy Volta Regional Director of the NCCE, stated that “the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) platform is one of the NCCE’s flagship programmes aimed to promote peace and resolve conflicts before they escalate.”

As a unifying body, Mr. Amenyo further disclosed that the IPDC provides a platform for key stakeholders to engage with political parties to enhance political, economic, and social progress and stability.

Mr. Micheal Tormeti, the Akatsi South Municipal Director of CHRAJ, reminded all participants of the relevancy of the Public Order Act of 1994 (ACT 491) in all special events.

He added that the law aimed to protect the organisers and participants of special events and the general public, and “adherence to the Public Order Act of 1994 (ACT 491) would help reduce, if not eliminate, harm and loss of lives during such events.”

Mr Godwin Nornoo, the Akatsi South Municipal Crime Officer, said in most cases, recruitment to secessionist and extremist groups were primarily done in rural areas, and most of the time, the youths got misled into such groups.

He added that the laws of the land make such secessionist and extremist groups prohibited.

“Anybody that attends their meetings, and in any form contributes towards their existence are criminals and that is punishable by law.”

The Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Akorfa Buabasa Asamoah, on her part, was grateful to the people of Akatsi South for being law-abiding, and largely applying all the civic knowledge they acquired daily on electoral process since 2016.

She urged all citizens to participate in the sustenance and promotion of the current peaceful political atmosphere in the municipality.

The IPDC meeting was under the theme: “Empowering Ghanaians to Stand for National Cohesion and Inclusive Participation.”

It forms part of the NCCE’s and Ministry of National Security sensitisation campaign on National Cohesion and Inclusive Participation in Governance.

Political Parties Present at the meeting pledged their support to national cohesion and peaceful coexistence.