Wa West District: NCCE holds durbar to strengthen community, police ties

The Wa West District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) organized a community durbar on July 4, 2024, in Siriyiri community in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.

The event aimed to foster community and police relationships, reflecting the NCCE’s commitment to building tolerance and national cohesion among communities. The increasing threat of violent extremism, particularly from jihadists in the sub-region, underscored the need for resilient communities and effective policing mechanisms.

The Siriyiri community, a fast-growing pre-urban area, was chosen for the durbar due to its potential vulnerability to behaviors that could lead to violent extremism. The event, held at the community meeting grounds, saw attendance from the community's chief, assembly member, queen mother, and Imam, along with opinion leaders, clans and family heads, women’s groups, youth leaders, and over 150 community members. Many participants had previously engaged with NCCE's continuous campaign against violent extremism.

Madam Esther Suglo, the Wa West District Director of the NCCE, highlighted the importance of the durbar in her opening remarks. She emphasized that the project aims to foster community and police relationships to combat crimes and violent extremism. She appealed to participants to contribute actively to preventing these issues and introduced the two resource persons for the event, expressing gratitude to the European Union for funding the project in Ghana.

The Wa West District Police Commander, DSP Richard Tamatey, gave a presentation emphasizing the significance of the police institution. He encouraged the chief and people of Siriyiri to maintain a positive mindset about the Ghana Police Service, explaining that the police are dedicated to protecting lives and property based on ethics, law, and professionalism. He urged community members to stop protecting criminals and to report suspicious characters to community leaders and the police.

DSP Richard Tamatey also discussed the formation of community watchdog committees, urging the community to identify young people for this purpose. He explained the process of reporting crimes and requesting bail, noting that no one should pay money to secure bail for a relative. He cautioned against making prank calls to the police and emphasized the importance of contacting the police in emergencies without fear.

Mr. Tahiru Lukman, Chief Executive Officer of Ideapath Consult, spoke on violent extremism, citing examples from the West African sub-region. He mentioned jihadist activities in Northern Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Chad, as well as political instability in Togo, Gabon, and Guinea, as warnings for Ghana. He highlighted Ghana’s history of military interventions and stressed the importance of the 2024 election in consolidating Ghana’s democratic credentials. Mr. Lukman urged community members to see politics as a contest of ideas and to maintain religious tolerance, emphasizing the value of interfaith interactions in maintaining peace.

In conclusion, Mr. Lukman called on communities to work collectively to maintain peace, emphasizing that Ghana is the only country they have and that everyone has a role in ensuring a peaceful nation.