Queen mothers urged to lead peacebuilding efforts in Nkwanta South

The Oti Regional Peace Council has engaged Queenmothers and other traditional stakeholders in the Nkwanta South Municipality to strengthen peacebuilding, early warning mechanisms and community-based responses to emerging conflicts.

The consultative dialogue, organised under the theme, “National Peace Council, Oti Regional Secretariat Consultative Dialogue on Peacebuilding, Early Warning and Response,” sought to harness the influence, experience and traditional knowledge of Queenmothers to prevent conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence among communities.

The engagement formed part of broader efforts by the National Peace Council and its regional structures to strengthen local peacebuilding mechanisms and encourage stakeholders to identify and address potential sources of conflict before they escalated into violence.

It brought together Queenmothers from the Adele, Challa and Akyode communities to deliberate on the causes of conflicts in the area and explore practical approaches to building sustainable peace.

The Oti Regional Director of the National Peace Council, Mr Paul Akonor, emphasised the important role of Queenmothers in peacebuilding.

He said their influence within families and communities positioned them strategically to contribute to the early identification of tensions, prevent their escalation and promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.

He encouraged them to use traditional and community-level structures to promote dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation, while supporting the timely sharing of information on developments that could threaten peace and security.

Mr Akonor took the participants through the principles of consultative dialogue, peacebuilding, early warning and response, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among traditional authorities, women leaders, security agencies, local government and other peacebuilding institutions.

The Queenmothers pledged to champion the peace campaign in their respective communities and work together under a common platform to strengthen dialogue among themselves and with male traditional leaders to help end gun violence in the area.

They also pledged to use their influence to engage their husbands, sons and other family members to reject revenge and retaliation, irrespective of the circumstances.

The Queenmothers said sustainable peace required the collective responsibility of all stakeholders and urged parties to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation over violence.

The Oti Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council, Mr Peterkin Yentumi Gyinae, said Nkwanta South had experienced recurring conflicts that had claimed lives, disrupted livelihoods, displaced families and hindered socio-economic development.

He noted that although efforts had been made by various stakeholders to restore calm, lasting peace could only be achieved when all segments of society actively participated in peacebuilding.

Mr Gyinae reaffirmed the Council's commitment to working closely with traditional authorities, women leaders, youth groups, religious bodies, civil society organisations, security agencies and other stakeholders to build a peaceful, inclusive and resilient municipality.