Minister of National Security, Albert Kan- Dapaah
Mr Albert Kan- Dapaah, Minister of National Security, has called on the Clergy to assist the government to defuse misinformation and fashion out a concrete solution to the happenings in the Volta region regarding the activities of the secessionist's groups.
He said the solution should not be determined by the politicians alone, urging all to get involved to address the issue as it posed serious threat to the country’s peace, stability and development.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said this when he led a high-power government delegation to meet with the leadership of the Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Church, Ghana, the Ho Diocese Catholic Church and the Peace Council in the Volta Region.
He said the meeting formed part of efforts to broaden the stakeholder base engagements regarding the happenings in the Region and to solicit for their support in finding a peaceful solution to the problem.
The Minister urged the clergy to use the pulpit to educate their members on the negative effects of the activities of the group on the life of the individual, society and the country at large, and advise them to disassociate themselves from them.
He said the activities of the secessionists' group threatened national security and could lead to the subversion of the 1992 Constitution, which would affect the gains made and derail the quest for progress.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said it was important to deal with the activities of the people and not allow them to continue with their operations because it could create avenues for terrorists to enter into the country and “when that happens it will discourage investors.”
Reverend Elisha Emmanuel Attu, Acting Moderator, E.P Church, commended the delegation for the visit and said “so long as we continue to exist as a Church, we will partner the government to ensure peace in the country.”
He said the Church would not associate itself with any individual or group whose activities threatened the peace and the stability of the country, and that the Church had even organised a press conference to condemn the activities of the secessionists' group and disassociated itself from them.
Reverend Attu urged the security agencies to intensify their intelligence gathering and surveillance so they would be able to detect any imminent attack and put pragmatic mechanisms in place to effectively and timely quell it.
Right Reverend Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Bishop of Ho Diocese of the Catholic Church, was grateful to the delegation for the visit and asked that lots of sensitisation should be done to get the right information to the people to disabuse their minds from the nation-wrecking activities of the group.
He said it was imperative for the government to liaise with religious bodies, and other relevant institutions and stakeholders to look at possible ways of bringing an end to the issues.
Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister commended the Churches for their effective collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) during the terse moments of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the drastic reduction in the cases in the Region.
He urged the leadership of the various Churches to be mindful of giving out their premises to people for programmes to avoid criminals using such premises to carry out their nefarious activities.
Present were, Mr Dan Botwe, Minister of Regional Re-organisation and Development, Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and top hierarchy of security services and Dr Archibald Letsa, Volta Regional Minister and his Deputy.
