The Eastern Regional Peace Council (ERPC), in collaboration with the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, has inaugurated and trained 78 District Peace Desk Officers (PDOs) as part of a landmark initiative to enhance conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts across all Districts and Municipalities in the region.
This programme marks the first time any region in Ghana has established Peace Desks in every district, setting a national precedent for strengthening grassroots peace architecture.
The training equipped participants with skills in conflict reporting, early warning methodologies, community engagement techniques, dialogue facilitation, and district-level peacebuilding strategies.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Eastern Regional Peace Council, Dr. Mark Boadu, described the establishment of the District Peace Desks as a “homegrown initiative designed to strengthen local peace structures and ensure the early detection and management of conflicts.”
He emphasized the critical role of the PDOs, noting that they serve as the “eyes and ears on the ground,” responsible for early warning, conflict reporting, dialogue facilitation, and mediation at the community level.
Dr. Boadu called on government and private partners to invest in the PDOs, stressing that prioritising prevention over crisis response would save the nation significant resources.
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to grassroots peace, applauding the PDOs for stepping into roles that promote resilience, unity, and sustainable development adding that peace and development are “mutually reinforcing necessities for the region’s future.”
The Eastern Regional Minister, Madam Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, commended the ERPC for being the first and only region to implement a fully functional District Peace Desk system, noting that the initiative provides a model worthy of replication nationwide.
Madam Awatey highlighted the importance of peace for development, stating that the Peace Desks will strengthen conflict reporting systems, improve early warning mechanisms, encourage community dialogue, and support fair and transparent resolution processes.
She urged the PDOs to carry out their duties with integrity and impartiality, adding that their effectiveness would influence the adoption of similar structures in other regions.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
