Lorry Station officials and women groups sensitized on violence Extremism

Tubong (U/E)-Ghana, Nov.19, GNA – The Upper East Regional Peace Council has cautioned Lorry station Officials, women traders and residents of Tubong in the Tempane District, to be wary and avoid being used by violent extremists to cause mayhem.
The sensitization formed part of the campaign, dubbed, ‘’See something, say something’’, aimed at equipping citizens with the knowledge on the indicators of the extremists’ activities and encouraging them to be vigilant of suspicious characters and report their activities to the security agencies.
It had funding support from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP).
Mr Ali Anankpeing, the Upper East Regional Peace Council Executive Secretary, said the fight against violence extremism required a collective effort from both citizens and the security agencies and there was the need for them to collaborate to maintain the existing peace in the country.
He said the common tactics of the Extremists as experienced in the sub region, included enticing individuals with money and fancy gifts to gain their trust which enabled them to penetrate various communities and destabilize security agencies before carrying out their activities.
Mr Halidu Saguru, the Station Chairman, said even though the Police service was doing well in the area of protecting lives, some of them had lost the trust of the people as they were unlawfully extorting money from traders.
‘’Some of our people selling in the market had to fold up because they could not cope with what the police was doing to them, taking monies from them when they are coming with their goods from Togo and other things created fear and mistrust in even going to them to make report’’ he stated.
He said the education by the Peace Council had given him a clue to report to higher authorities whenever illegalities were perpetrated by public officers and urged his colleagues to say something whenever they see something.
Mrs Duut Dindeog, a small scale business woman said it was time they monitored the activities of strangers who sell unauthorized local medicine as the extremists could disguise themselves in order to gain the confidence of the people.
She urged her colleagues not easily fall for strangers who offered them money as gifts or loans but report suspicious characters to the Police.
Mr Bawah Benjamin Saaniid, a resident, urged the police to be friendly by avoiding activities against residents that could cause fear and mistrust of the Service.