By Gilbert Azeem Tiroog

Peace Agents trained under the Preventive Approach to Protecting Development in the Gulf of Guinea project in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region are spearheading grassroots initiatives to promote peaceful coexistence and curb violent extremism in their communities.

The intervention, funded by the governments of Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), empowered 120 participants, including women groups, queen mothers, persons with disabilities, and selected health workers, to counter extremist narratives and foster peace.

The training, organised by the Upper East Regional Peace Council with the support of the UNDP earlier in February 2025, targeted border communities considered vulnerable to threats of conflict and instability.

Local impacts
Following the training, participants have been leading peace initiatives within their localities, with many recording notable successes.

In Basyonde, Mr. Dasmani Alhassan, one of the trainees, engaged men, youth groups, and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) in peace sensitization activities.

One of his mentees, Ms. Sadia Moro, applied the lessons to mediate a long-standing domestic dispute between a couple.

“The couple had not spoken for months. But after learning from Dasmani’s engagement, I approached them separately and encouraged reconciliation — and they did,” Ms. Moro shared.

Mr. Alhassan described the reconciliation as one of his proudest moments. “It shows how powerful knowledge-sharing can be in peacebuilding,” he said.

In Wariyanga, Queen Mother Avoka Esther also leveraged the training to resolve a rift between the chief of Woriyanga and his aunt, restoring ties that had been severed for years.

“After the training, I knew I had what it takes to unite them. I spoke to both sides, and they agreed to let go of the feud,” she recounted.

Community members have hailed her efforts, with one resident, Ms. Awindago Esther, saying, “When people saw the aunt visiting the palace again, they were amazed. Now everyone calls the Queen Mother the ‘Mother of Peace.”

Calls for further support
At the Tempane Health Directorate, Mrs. Imelda Asum-bono Agoo Imelda, another participant, has initiated conflict prevention sensitization among health workers to promote smooth health service delivery.

She, however, appealed for more support, urging the Peace Council and UNDP to extend similar training to community health nurses to expand the reach of peace education.

During a monitoring visit to assess the impact of the training, the Principal Programmes Manager at the Upper East Regional Peace Council, Mr. David Angaamba, commended the peace agents for their commitment.

He reiterated the Peace Council’s commitment to supporting local peace efforts given the needed support and stressed  the importance of continued sensitization to strengthen peaceful development in the district.