Newly-constituted B/A Peace Council sworn in

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Evans Opoku-Bobbie has stated that even though the region has been considered as the most relatively peaceful in the country, recent happenings are beginning to portray a different situation as the number of conflicts seems to be increasing.

“Conflicts are bound to happen in any society, but the Brong Ahafo Region has been challenged by its history and structure towards conflicts”, he stated.

According to him, the region had some peculiar predisposing conflict situations including the lack of a centralised traditional authority, traditional authority/allegiance and land boundary disputes, multi-ethnicity and natural resource exploitation and benefits sharing.

Mr Opoku-Bobbie made these observations in a speech read for him at the inauguration of the newly-reconstituted Brong Ahafo Regional Peace Council in Sunyani on Tuesday.

Inauguration
Ten out of the 13-member council was inaugurated and given appointment letters by a member of the National Peace Council, Nana Difie Agyakoma, who is also the Queen of Mampong in the Ashanti Region.

In his inaugural address, which was read by the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Dr (Mrs) Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson, Mr Opoku-Bobbie said the number of chieftaincy disputes in the region were alarming.

According to him 90 per cent of traditional areas in the region had succession disputes, adding that “These definitely cannot be attributes of the most peaceful region”.

Mr Opoku-Bobbie therefore welcomed the inception of the Peace Council as a statutory public institution with the mandate to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and build sustainable peace.

He explained that the lack of peace was a major source of instability in the society as it slowed down development considerably.

“Most importantly, peace and stability are essential commodities for national cohesion and development. However, conflicts and disputes will continue to be with us for as long as the human race is not extinct.”

Mr Opoku-Bobbie said systems and structures that aimed at managing and resolving conflicts before they escalated into violence were very important and therefore called for more resources to be provided to the National Peace Council to enable it deliver on its mandate efficiently and effectively.

He expressed the hope that the inauguration of the newly-constituted Council would further strengthen efforts by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to seek early and lasting solutions to the numerous conflicts in the region.

Limited opportunities
For her part, Nana Agyakoma said the need for peace in the country had never been more important than at this present time when socio-political systems seem not to respond effectively to emerging conflicts.

“Our youths are becoming increasingly agitated over limited opportunities, with impunity eating into the very fabric of our society and threat of extremism looming large over our sub-region”.

Nana Agyakoma, therefore called on members of the newly-constituted regional council to buckle up because the task ahead was critical for the development of the region.

She appealed to the government, the business community and the international community to support the national and regional peace councils to consolidate the economic gains chalked in recent years.

The President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese who chaired the function, called on the members to refrain from receiving gifts from parties involved in conflicts that might influence them in their deliberations on conflict situations in the region.