The Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, NCCE, Mrs. Lucille Hewlett-Annan has reiterated the need for the citizenry to take their personal security serious in their communities.
According to her, it is incumbent on the citizenry to be extra vigilant and cautious in their homes and place of work.
Mrs. Hewlett-Annan who gave the advice at Town Hall meeting organised by the Ningo-Prampram office of the NCCE in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security at Lekpowunor in the Ningo-Prampram Municipality of the Greater Accra region.
The Town Hall meeting was aimed at fostering national cohesion and inclusive participation in governance in the community.
It also sought to equip the citizenry with relevant information on violent extremism and radicalism and how to identify early warning signals to guard against recruitment of individuals to perpetuate violence.
Participants mostly were opinion leaders, youth, security, Assembly Members and Traditional rulers, students among others from the District.
Mrs. Hewlett-Annan asked participants to check the background of visitors they received thoroughly as most terrorist carry out their activities unaware.
She called on them to report to the police when they found any suspicious activities happening in their communities.
Mrs. Hewlett-Annan also urged churches to identify new people who visited their place of worship while chiefs and landlords get to know their people they give their rooms or other propertys out to rent.
Touching on national cohesion, she entreated Ghanaians to embrace peace and harmony in their localities as well as bring national cohesion to enable all to live in peace.
The Ningo-Prampam District Director of the NCCE, Oppong Mensah who also spoke on violence extremism said parts of Ghana especially Volta region experienced secessionist activities which threatened the peace of the country.
He encouraged the citizenry to foster national unity and live in harmony with others saying; it is our duty as citizens to respect the rights and freedoms of others.
The Ningo-Prampram District Crime Officer, Inspector Seidu Abdulai, urged participants to be law abiding, security conscious and refrain from violent extremism activities.
He cautioned that murder, arm robbery, stalling, rape and other forms of social vices should not be entertained at home but rather threat them as criminal cases and should be repot to the police.
Inspector Seidu Abdulai explained that such cases should be investigated and should be handle by the law court to have fair trails.
He stated that the Police work hand-in-hand with the public to fight crime and so Ghanaians must also assist the Police by sharing information to the Police and also remain alert in identifying criminals.
Inspector Seidu Abdulai entreated participants to call service hotline numbers 191 and 18555 for help whenever they are attacked or report criminal activities in their community.
Some participants took to the floor during the open forum section to express worries about possible future land litigations.
Responding to some of the concerns raised by these participants, Inspector Seidu Abdulai encouraged residents to report any languard activities to the Police Command for further action.
The Chief of Nmetsokope, Nene Narku V, thanked the participants for the engagements towards promoting peaceful coexistence and national cohesion.
He urged the NCCE to frequently organise such programmes to engage the youth for them to discuss their issues.
By Paul Mamattah