The National Peace Council (NPC) has asked students to be tolerant of one another to avoid violent conflict situations. Mrs Janet Sarney-Kuma, Director, Capacity Development and Outreach at the National Peace Council, noted that if emotions, disagreement, and violence were not appropriately managed, they could escalate into conflict, disputes, and war, endangering the country’s peace. She made the call at an outreach programme organised for students of the Accra Academy Senior High School (SHS). The mandate of the National Peace Council in Act 818 is to ensure mediation and management of conflict situations in the country. The goal of the outreach programme is to educate students about the Peace Council’s mandate and help them better manage conflict situations. Mrs Sarney-Kuma in an interview, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the programme had become necessary due to some violent conflict situations being recorded in schools and communities. She said: ‘The young people are the future leaders, who will grow up to take very important positions so, it is very important to catch them young to teach them about conflict management, how to leave peacefully and coexist in the schools. And we think that if we give them a little pep talk, it can help manage some of these things. ‘ Mrs Sarney-kuma said the conflict was a natural phenomenon, and once people were from different backgrounds, mistakes, disagreements, and misunderstandings were bound to happen, adding that the ability to manage such situations was key. She urged the students to address conflict situations through appropriate channels and ensure peace prevailed at all times. She cautioned them against all forms of abuse. Mrs Sarney-Kuma said the outreach would be extended to other schools throughout the country. Mr Emmanuel Ofoe Fiemawhle, Headmaster of the School, said: ‘Violent situations are not exclusive to only one school, when such situations begin to happen, they get to almost every school and spread like bush fires so, getting the Peace Council to talk to them about tolerance and conflict management is very laudable. ‘ ‘Getting ready for examinations, the apprehensions, anxiety, and emotional imbalances make them a bit hostile to each other. Therefore, sessions like this will help to guide them,’ he added.
Source: Ghana News Agency