Interior Ministry to build a permanent office facility for National Peace Council

Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, the Minister for the Interior, has informed President John Dramani Mahama of the Ministry’s plan to build a permanent office facility for the National Peace Council, to be known as the “Peace House.”

He stated that this initiative is intended to serve as a legacy project during President Mahama’s tenure.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak made this disclosure to the President during the swearing-in ceremony of a 13-member reconstituted Governing Board of the National Peace Council at the Presidency in Accra.

The reconstituted 13-member National Peace Council, chaired by Reverend Father Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, the Catholic Bishop of the Ho Diocese, comprises 10 men and three women.

The National Peace Council is an independent statutory national peace institution, established by Act 818 of the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, known as the National Peace Council Act, 2011.

The Council’s core function is to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts and to build sustainable peace.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak noted that since its establishment, the National Peace Council has worked diligently to fulfill its mandate, particularly in maintaining peace across the country.

He added that, with the exception of 2023, Ghana has been consistently ranked as the most peaceful country in West Africa over the past decade. Furthermore, although Ghana currently ranks as the fourth most peaceful country in Africa, there is still room for improvement.

The Minister highlighted the Council’s strategic interventions, including constituency- and national-level dialogues, which have led to political parties committing to peaceful, democratic mechanisms for resolving both intra- and inter-party conflicts.

"Together with stakeholders and development partners, the Council concluded all its 2024 activities with the signing of the fourth presidential peace pact by all 12 presidential candidates," he said, describing it as a home-grown solution to addressing internal democratic tensions, and noting that it has been recognized by the international community.

He emphasized that the impact of these strategic efforts was reflected in post-election speeches, including both declarations and concessions.

He cited evidence from volatile constituencies such as Asutifi South and Asunafo North—historically prone to post-election conflict—which have remained calm since the elections.

“We also acknowledge some disturbances in certain constituencies, such as Damongo and Ablekuma North. The Council, with the support of the Ministry, will work with stakeholders to address these challenges moving forward,” he stated.

He said the Council is making concerted efforts to bring stakeholders together to thoroughly review the 2024 elections and adopt strategies for more effective cooperation and engagement among political parties and governance stakeholders, in order to build a resilient future and sustain national peace.

Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak also announced a significant recognition by the international community: the Global Action Against Mass Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC) has proposed that Ghana chair the organization and host its headquarters.

He said this means that, within a few months, the GAAMAC headquarters would be relocated from Switzerland to Ghana.

The Minister concluded by stating that the Council would be grateful to the President and the Government for full logistical, technical, and financial support in this effort, to reinforce the global community’s confidence in Ghana’s effectiveness on the international stage.