The Ashanti Regional Peace Council (ARPC), in collaboration with the Office of the Regional Chief Imam, has inaugurated and trained members of the Muslim Local Peace Committee at the Kumasi Central Mosque in the Ashanti Region.
The workshop brought together 25 newly appointed committee members who underwent intensive training to strengthen peacebuilding efforts within their communities.
Participants were equipped with practical skills in conflict prevention, management and resolution, mediation and dialogue facilitation, identification of early warning signs and appropriate response mechanisms, as well as strategies for countering violent extremism and vigilantism.
The training also focused on promoting interfaith tolerance and social cohesion among diverse religious and ethnic groups in the region.
Speaking at the event, Chairperson of the Ashanti Regional Peace Council, Dr Harriet Takyi, underscored the importance of grassroots peacebuilding in maintaining national stability.
“Peacebuilding begins at the community level, and local Peace Committees are the first line of defence against conflict,” she stated.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by the ARPC and its partners to strengthen local peace structures and empower community leaders to proactively address tensions before they escalate into violence.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
