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Avoid making foul religious and tribal comments -Lawra NCCE Director
The Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Lawra Municipality of the Upper West Region, Mr Jesurun Ninge Mornah has advised the public to avoid making foul religious and tribal comments that had a tendency to fuel dissentions and violence.
He said unfavourable comments against people’s religion, tribe, culture and tradition which were tied to their identity, incited violence and therefore cautioned against the use of uncouth language to denigrate such social groupings.
The director made this known at a meeting by the Commission at the Brifoh Senior High School in the municipality to engage the students on violent extremism and counter terrorism and to also launch the Constitutional Week celebration in the municipality.
The engagement meeting formed part of efforts by the NCCE to create awareness on preventing and containing violent extremism under the European Union’s supported Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism Project (PCVE) by the NCCE.
“Religious, tribal and political issues are dear to the hearts of people so if they are not handled properly, they can degenerate into internal conflicts and attract extremists into the country because these are a group of people who are already peeved and feel they have not been treated right so they are tempted to join any force that promises to restore their dignity in society”, he elaborated.
In addition, Mr Mornah said issues such as environmental degradation that pushed herdsmen to settle in other countries, unemployment and nepotism as well as poverty, among others were some of the drivers of violent extremism.
The director suggested that communities created community-based surveillance groups to closely monitor activities of people and promptly report suspicious characters to appropriate authorities.
He also advised that there was the need for the use of peace building strategies to quell internal conflicts so that they did not serve as breeding grounds for extremist to recruit aggrieved persons into their scheme.
The Director used the opportunity to remind the students of the need to adhere to the constitution of the nation and to ensure that they did not flout it under any circumstance.
One of the facilitators at the meeting, Mr John Bosco Bedi, the Lawra Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) was more concerned about the exuberance of the youth recently and encouraged them to channel their energy to lucrative ventures and not into conflicts and violence.
He mentioned that extremist groups played on the vulnerability of the youth, particularly in the face of unemployment and low income to get them to join their cause and advised them to avoid juicy offers with huge financial benefits from unknown persons.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, LAWRA
The National Identification Authority has resumed the Ghana Card registration exercise for children between the ages of 6 and 14 in the Volta and Oti regions.
According to the Authority, the exercise begins on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority.
In a statement issued on May 4, the NIA said the exercise forms part of a nationwide campaign aimed at registering about 3.1 million children to strengthen Ghana’s national identity system.
The Authority explained that the Volta and Oti regions are the first areas selected for the phased national rollout, with each phase expected to last at least 21 days.
Registration teams are expected to move from school to school, covering both public and private institutions, to register eligible children.
The NIA said registration will take place daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
It added that children within the age bracket who are not in school can visit designated schools or registration centres in their communities to register.
According to the Authority, parents or guardians registering a child must present the child’s original birth certificate, valid Ghanaian passport or certificate of acquired citizenship.
Where these documents are unavailable, a parent, relative or legal guardian may complete an Oath of Identity form.
The NIA further explained that in cases where a child has no known relatives, two Social Welfare Officers may vouch for the child under oath.
Parents and guardians who have enrolled their children onto the National Health Insurance Scheme were encouraged to present the child’s NHIS card or number during registration.
The Authority stressed that persons presenting children for registration must be Ghanaian citizens, at least 18 years old, mentally sound and possess a valid Ghana Card.
The NIA also advised children who registered during the 2024 pilot phase but have not yet received their cards to visit their district offices for collection.
The Authority warned that providing false information or assisting in the registration of non-Ghanaians is a criminal offence punishable by law.
It reaffirmed its commitment to building a secure, reliable and inclusive national identity system for all Ghanaians.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Police in the Aburi District arrested 11 suspects for alleged possession of arms and ammunition without authority in connection with the Adambrobe chieftaincy dispute, the Command revealed on Monday.
Ten suspects were arrested on Sunday, May 3, at Adambrobe, Aburi.
Police identified them as Dawu Joseph, a farmer; Kwame Aboagye, a vulcanizer; Samuel Obeng, a taxi driver in Adambrobe; Owusu Paul, a member of the Adambrobe Asekyere family; Jerry John Kwame Atilla, a businessman in Sowutuom; and private security men Evans Dekadzor, Christian Atsu, Samuel Annan, Thomas Davidson, and Richard Agyeman.
The Aburi District Command retrieved five pump-action rifles, 23 live cartridges, one taser, six phones, and one body armor during the operation.
Police also impounded two vehicles used to transport the suspects: an unregistered Ford pickup and a Toyota Corolla with registration number GE 2560-19.
An additional suspect, Douglas Amoako Danquah, was arrested Monday, May 4, after being sighted in a procession within the area, police said.
The arrests are linked to the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Adambrobe.
Suspects are currently in police custody assisting in investigations.
The Eastern Regional Police Command assured the public of their continued commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Adambrobe and urge all parties to exercise restraint.
