Partners in Countering Peace in Northern Regional ,Dagbon

NKABOM Peace in Northern Regional (Dagbon ) we committed to curbing student-conflicts; where groups of students plan, organize, demonstrate and fight amongst themselves and or against authority and destroy valuable properties, which is becoming a major threat to education and the development of students in general. The principles of the NKABOM (an Akan word for Peace and Unity) project is to use the fertile minds of the youth in school to inculcate into them the culture of peace, democracy, civic, human right, based on maximize access to good and quality-leadership skills education and development with emphasized communication on dialogue and negotiation that focuses on peace, respect of rights and higher responsibility in handling student conflicts.

Mr. Kofi Annan (United Nations Secretary - General) in his paper, 'Education: A Tool for the Elimination of Human Rights Violations' said "Without education, we cannot see beyond ourselves and our narrow surroundings to the reality of global interdependence. Without education, we cannot realize how people of other races and religion share the same dreams, the same hopes. Without education, we cannot recognize the universality of human aims and aspirations." President F. Kennedy of United States stated that, "Mankind must destroy wars before wars destroy mankind". A very prominent Peace Advocate once said, "Wars are started in the minds of people and in the same mind they are diffused".

In most African countries where conflicts and wars have had its toe, the roles played by students as rebel-fighters in these conflicts and wars can never be over emphasized. Conflicts and wars has frustrated many high hopes and noble ideals of students on African shores and has marred their development by poverty, hunger, torture, tribalism, xenophobia, religious and tribal intolerance, and the lots. These have resulted in high levels of streetism, child labour and exploitation; sexual abuse and commercialization; diseases and HIV/AIDS; refugee environment; bribery and corruption; unemployment, underemployment and exploitation.

Let as create awareness and build capacity of student representatives on student-conflicts, organisational dynamics, leadership and communication skills, mediation, conflict prevention and resolution, human rights, research, evaluation and monitoring. provide means and actions to enable students learn and become acquainted with the social, cultural, economic and political systems and how they operate and prevent them from contaminating themselves with issues with conflict tendencies especially in the coming political elections. The means and actions are flexible and comfortable enough in encouraging and improving their understanding on civic responsibilities and rights.educate students that, the progress and development lie first and foremost on them, that, there is great power in students working in good faith, to shape a better future for themselves and posterity. Students will learn and emulate quality leadership skills and commit themselves unto good leadership especially on good governance, which has no substitute. bedrock of the nations development, have the capacity to develop and transform the trend of development in the nation.

motivate students to commit themselves unto ideals of good leadership and governance, respect for all human rights, protection and prevention from all conflict sentiments. Strong tribal, ethnic, religious and political sentiments, which have given in to tribalism, xenophobia, ethnic and religious intolerances when minimized among students would serve as their legacy for the nation.

Our failure to act effectively and now will worsen the resultant ethnic, religious and political conflicts impeding the development of the Sub-Sahara Africa of which Ghana is part.

We the Youth of Tema West committed ourselves to NKABOM and the development of students in Northern Regional (Dagbon )and our country.

BY KENNETH NANA AMOATENG
ABIBIMMAN FOUNDATION (NGO)
"NKABOM" [Peace & Unity)