The National Peace Council (NPC) has appealed for additional funding to enable it to effectively discharge its duties, particularly as the 2024 general elections draw near.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an inter-party dialogue on election violence mitigation on July 2, 2024, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Reverend Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, said the council needs urgent support, stating that it is overwhelmed by its caseload due to insufficient resources.
“I think we need more funds; we need more staff; our regional secretaries are complaining that they are overburdened and are asking that we give them drivers which we don’t have now because the work is increasing,” Adu-Gyamfi said.
He added that a sum of $1 million is necessary to enable the Council to effectively operate and address the pressing issues before it.
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“For election-related activities in dollar terms, we need $1 million, some donors have come in trying to help,” he added.
The National Peace Council has a responsibility for ensuring a violence-free electoral process, resolving conflicts, and facilitating communication among political parties.
Giving a breakdown of what the $1 million will be used for, he said the Council has a comprehensive plan to engage with all 276 constituencies to promote peace and minimize tensions. Adding that the council has identified an increasing number of hotspots that require urgent attention and resources to prevent escalation.
“We have a lot of engagements we want to do. Engagements in all the 276 constituencies. We have mapped out our hotspots, and we want to minimize activities in these hotspots,” he said. Adding that “the number of hotspots keeps increasing, and we need a lot of resources to go into these areas to minimize the tensions that are being built up in these areas.”
He also revealed that between January 2024 and July 2, 2024, the number of cases handled by the Council moved from 298 to 703, particularly chieftaincy and land-related disputes.
As the 2024 elections approach, the Council reaffirms its commitment to conflict mediation and dialogue facilitation among political parties.
