By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Ghana United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Head of Inclusive Growth and Accountable Governance, Dr Edward Ampratwum, has emphasised the necessity for all, especially women and young people, to serve as peace ambassadors in their localities.
He observed that though women play critical roles in conflict mediation, they (women) and young people are glossed over in peace processes and intimated that the lapse must be addressed.
Dr Ampratwum made the observations during the presentation of packages (assets) to some beneficiaries at Olli and Kpila in the Wa West District under the Livelihoods for Cohesion (L4C) Project.
The project is aimed at strengthening the resilience of women and young people in six communities across two districts in Upper West.
The beneficiary communities are Olli, Kpila, and Dorimon in the Wa West District as well as Jeffisi, Fielmuo, and Zini in the Sissala West District.
According to Dr Ampratwum, the UNDP designed the intervention with support from the UN Peace Building Fund to promote community resilience, social cohesion, and participation of women and youth in decision-making at the district (local) level.
Commenting further, he said the initiative is just a stepping stone for the beneficiaries to take off and manage their own affairs with guidance in order for them to generate more resources for themselves.
Dr Ampratwum was thankful to the project partners, saying, “We are also grateful for CAPECS for working with us on this project and to the Community Livelihood Improvement Committee for your support in mobilising beneficiaries for the livelihood support.”
“At the UNDP, we understand that communities have a role to play in addressing conflicts and enhancing their social contract with the state,” he noted.
The (L4C) Project beneficiaries are in areas that are deemed as “at-risk communities” as a result of the potential for conflicts, instability, and lack of social cohesion.
Speaking to the GBC, the Executive Director of Capacity Enhancement and Community Support (CAPECS), Abu Dokuwie Alhassan, stated that they went through a very rigorous exercise in selecting 160 beneficiaries out of more than 600 applicants in Upper West by making sure that the livelihood supports were not given to people who would not utilise the package as intended.
He continued that criteria that ensured that the most vulnerable people who needed assistance got selected were deployed.
Mr Alhassan indicated that prior to the selection, members of the project communities were sensitised and given expression of interest forms to apply.
The livelihoods supported under the project cut across tailoring, weaving, hairdressing, animal rearing, baking, and metal and fabrication, among others.
Mr Alhassan observed that in tandem with CAPECS’s core mandate of creating job opportunities for women and young people, it will see to it that the packages presented are utilised to create the needed multiplier effect to improve the socioeconomic standards of the people.
The Executive Secretary of the Upper West Regional Peace Council, Clifford Tampuori, pointed out that unemployment, land conflict, and chieftaincy conflict were some of the challenges facing the beneficiary communities and advised them to use the laid-down procedures and channels to resolve their disputes/ differences instead of through violent means.
The Business Advisory Centre (BAC) Head in Wa West, Armiyau Haruna, was extremely thankful to UNDP and CAPECS for complementing the efforts of the Wa West District in its rural enterprise development initiatives.
Mr Haruna recalled the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.
“A biblical story about a master who gave different amounts of money to three servants, expecting them to use it while he was away, and upon his return, rewarded those who actively invested and grew their portion, while punishing the one who simply buried his money out of fear.”
He therefore advised the beneficiaries to redouble their efforts in using the assets presented to them to improve their lot.
The Assemblyman Eggu Electoral Area, Dassah Yeniyela Ephraim, commended the project implementers for staying the course so far, adding that initially the community members were not sure whether the project would become a reality as a result of past experience. He pledged that Olli and Kpila communities will come on board to realise the objectives of the project.
