As an important step toward deepening peace and social cohesion in the Ahafo Region, the reconstituted Ahafo Regional Peace Council has been formally inaugurated. The ceremony took place on Thursday, 29th May, 2025, at the Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council’s Conference Room in Goaso. The solemn but hopeful ceremony brought together a cross-section of stakeholders, all united by a shared commitment to safeguarding the region’s stability and nurturing a culture of tolerance and unity.
The event was attended by key dignitaries, including the Ahafo Regional Minister, the Chief Director, officials from the Regional Co-ordinating Council, Security Agencies, Board members of the National Peace Council, representatives from the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation, Traditional Authorities, Civil Society Organizations, and members of the media.
In his welcome address, Mr. Emmanuel Danyomah, Executive Secretary of the Ahafo Regional Peace Council, acknowledged the honour bestowed upon the region to champion the cause of peace. He outlined the Council’s core objectives, ranging from conflict resolution through dialogue and mediation to promoting peaceful coexistence across communities.
A highlight of the event was the administration of the Oaths of Office, Allegiance and Secrecy to newly appointed members of the Council, reinforcing their critical role as stewards of peace in the region.
Delivering the keynote address, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, Governing BoardMember of the National Peace Council and Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, emphasized that Ghana remains a beacon of democratic stability in West Africa. However, he warned that this peace is not immune to threats such as chieftaincy, religious and electoral conflicts. He urged stakeholders to adopt dialogue, collaboration and active community engagement as tools to prevent conflict and sustain harmony.
Sheikh Armiyawo reaffirmed the National Peace Council’s constitutional backing under Act 818, highlighting its strategic mandate to facilitate conflict prevention and resolution. He commended the Ahafo Regional Peace Council for its five year track record in fostering local-level peace and called for sustained efforts backed by logistics, training, and institutional support.
In her remarks, the Ahafo Regional Minister, Hon. (Mrs.) Charity Gardiner, congratulated the new Council members and stressed the need for multistakeholder co-operation in peacebuilding. She reported that the region had recorded a total of 48 conflicts, including 10 land disputes, 13 chieftaincy issues and several boundary and other communal conflicts. She called for a proactive, structured approach to conflict prevention, observing that peace is indispensable to regional growth and development.
Hon. Gardiner further charged the Council to work closely with the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council to offer guidance on peacebuilding efforts.
Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, Chairperson of the Ahafo Regional Peace Council and Bishop of the Goaso Catholic Diocese, emphasized the importance of unity and collective responsibility in conflict resolution. He called for logistical and institutional support to enable the Council to discharge its duties effectively.
Madam Monica Nkrumah, representing the Newmont Ahafo Development
Foundation, also commended the collaborative spirit of the Council and
underscored the role of partnerships in fostering lasting peace.
As the newly constituted Council begins its tenure, the inauguration served as a call to action, thereby reminding all present that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice, dialogue and shared responsibility.
