Unanimous call at 1Ghana Peace project launch
The need for peace in Ghana before, during and after the December presidential and parliamentary elections was unanimously re-emphasized by all speakers at the launching of the 1GHANA PEACE PROJECT at the Alisa hotel in Accra. The project aimed at promoting a culture of peace and non-violence had the theme 'Promoting a Peace and a Culture of Non-Violence a Collective Responsibility. We are all part of One Country-Ghana for which we are jointly responsible'.
Speaking at the launching, the chairman of the northern development forum and founding president of the Ghana- France chamber of Commerce Dr. Wemah who was the chairman for the launching called on all the youth of Ghana to shy away from people who have nothing to offer mother Ghana and go about perpetrating acts that hold the potential to put Ghana into a state of chaos.
He said he does not understand why some old citizens who instead of motivating the youth to lead positive lives rather choose to become agents of confusion and conflict. Dr. Wemah urged the youth to desist from acts of violence and advised them to invest their time and energies in productive ventures and not ones that would jeopardize their ambitions. He said as future leaders it behooved on them to jealously guard against the peace of the country over which they are leaders in the waiting.
Giving the keynote address, the Executive Director of Youth Icons-Ghana co-organizers of the 1GHANA PEACE PROJECT stressed the need for a collaborative effort in promoting and helping sustain peace and a culture of non-violence as a key prerequisite to national and business development. Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa said systemic violence is embedded in our society because Ghanaians have created a breeding ground for violent behavior that is inhibiting economic and social development.
He opined that to achieve a new society that values peace and rejects the profanity of violence, peace education must be far more widely and creatively promoted and access to it increased. Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa made a passionate appeal to all Ghanaians especially corporate Ghana to support the noble project since peace was paramount to the existence of humanity.
Recounting his peace keeping mission to Kosovo, the Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police Service DSP Kwesi Ofori told a gory story of what he witnessed in Kosovo as a result of war and promised his outfits resolve and preparedness to deal with any acts of violence and crime that held the potential to disturb the peace the country enjoy.
The national youth organizers of the four main political parties NPP, NDC, PNC and the CPP were present to give goodwill messages with all four unanimously calling on their followers especially the youth to comport themselves during the elections to ensure that Ghana remains united since that is in the best interest of the youth as future leaders.
Taking his turn to address the well attended launch in his capacity as the Special Guest of Honour, the Liberian Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Rudolf P. von Ballmoos made a prophesy to Ghana 'Ghana would not burn'.
The ambassador gave a gory picture of what conflict can do to a nation and its people. He said Ghanaians are blessed and is his fervent prayer that never should what happened in his native country-Liberia happen to any other African country.
He said war has devastating effects which one cannot describe or retell vividly enough as experienced. H.E. Ambassador Ballmoos indicated that about two hundred thousand people died in the Liberian civil war which lasted over a decade also saw about 95% of 235 health facilities completely destroyed. He said Liberia which used to enjoy very good road networks has left many areas inaccessible with communities completely cut off because major bridges linking them to each other have been destroyed during the war.
He further stressed that the only hydro dam that provided electricity to the country was destroyed leaving the country with the option of importing energy at a high cost. He warned 'war is a horrible thing and I know Ghanaians would shy away from tendencies that can destroy the country.
He therefore called on all Ghanaians especially corporate Ghana to support the 1GHANA PEACE PROJECT which he described as a very ingenious initiative.
Outdooring the project song, hiplife artiste and grand medal recipient Obour elaborated on the project which his outfit Family Tree Entertainment is organizing in collaboration with Youth Icons-Ghana. He said just like his road safety campaign project and his read for life campaign which he is undertaking with readwide Ghana limited, he once again sees it very prudent to talk about peace this time around looking around him.
He said the project would see the team touring all ten regional capitals of Ghana and some districts which have been identified as trouble spots. He said his motivation for the project stems from the simple fact that peace gives meaning to life and under no circumstances should Ghanaians compromise on the peace it enjoys. He said the peace campaign is directed mainly to the youth who he thinks the campaign can help to direct their energies productively through peace education.
He hinted that the team would in every region have five days of intensive peace promotion activities which will also take the team to the ghettos to interact with the movers and shakers of the various communities.