The National and Regional Peace Councils, in collaboration with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), have called on stakeholders to take an active role in preventing hate speech, violent extremism, and vigilantism in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.
The appeal was made during a two-day stakeholder engagement held on October 21 and 22, 2024, at the Unity Centre in Damongo.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Doris De-Craft Acquah emphasized the critical role stakeholders play in ensuring peaceful elections.
She cautioned against the resurgence of vigilante groups, despite the enactment of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), which bans their operations.
Dr Acquah pointed out that some groups continue to operate covertly under rebranded names, urging stakeholders to remain vigilant and report any such activities.
She also stressed the importance of identifying early warning signs and potential hotspots that could trigger violence in the Savannah Region and other parts of the country. “We must address these issues promptly to prevent them from escalating,” she said.
Violent extremism is on the rise across the country, and Dr Acquah warned that it could negatively impact the upcoming elections if not curbed.
She encouraged stakeholders to put in place measures to detect and report early warning signs, noting that it would be a significant achievement to prevent any violence during the electoral process.
The National and Regional Peace Councils have initiated strategic activities aimed at ensuring peaceful elections.
They urged citizens to be proactive, stating, “If you see something, say something.”
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