The Minister of the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, has eulogised the Upper West Region as one of the most peaceful regions in the country, attributing the achievement to a strong culture of interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
He indicated that the national peace index monitoring had ranked the Upper West Region as the second most peaceful region in Ghana, which he said was as a result of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue group.
Mr Muntaka said this in Wa during a meeting with members of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue group as part of his one-day working visit to the region to, among other things, commission the new Upper West Regional Police Headquarters.
The Christian-Muslim Dialogue group is made up of leaders of the two dominant religions in the region, Christianity and Islam, with the aim of promoting their shared interests towards ensuring sustained peace.
The Minister commended the initiative, noting that it had provided a united platform for dialogue and engagement between religious communities in the region.
He observed that in some parts of the country, attempts to bring different faith groups together often encountered resistance, with factions insisting on separate engagements.
He indicated that religious intolerance remained a major source of conflict in many countries, and encouraged the National Peace Council to replicate similar interfaith dialogue platforms in other regions.
“If we can implement it (the Christian-Muslim Dialogue group) in other regions, it will further even reduce some of the bickering and the unnecessary suspicion and mistrust among us so Ghana will even become more peaceful than it is now,” the Minister stated.
Mr Muntaka said all the security agencies under the Ministry of the Interior, including the security services, the Peace Council, and the Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission, were working collectively to enhance public safety.
He said Ghana’s peace had made the country attractive to foreigners, particularly in border regions, but noted that this had also led to challenges such as irregular migration and cross-border crime.
Reiterating the slogan, “If you see something, say something,” the Minister urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies to help prevent threats to national security.
Reverend Father Dr Aloysius Nuolabong, the Coordinator of the Dialogue group, observed that although there were no religious conflicts in Ghana, issues such as preaching against other religions, religious superiority, and intolerance could trigger religious conflicts if not checked.
“To overcome these tendencies, there must be peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in Ghana, but there cannot be peace between Muslims and Christians in Ghana unless there is dialogue,” he explained.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Nuolabong said that informed the need for the interfaith dialogue committee in the region to complement the efforts of the security agencies and the Peace Council to promote peace and development in the region.
Some members of the dialogue group also raised concerns about the high incidence of drug abuse in the region, which they said threatened the peace of the area.