The Head of Centre for Professional Development (CePDEV) of UENR, Prof. Mrs. Mercy Adutwumwaa Derkyi has been elected as Chairperson of the Bono Regional Peace Council making her the first female Chairperson across the all sixteen (16) regions in Ghana.
This comes after She was inducted into office together with 12 other Eminent Members of the new Council, which includes two other staff of the University; Dr. Peter Damoah-Afari, a Lecturer at the Department of Geospatial Sciences, Dormaa Campus representing the African Traditional Religion and Imam Mohammed Issaka, a Lecturer at the Department of Languages and General Studies representing the Bono Regional Chief Imam on the Council.
In her speech at the inauguration of the newly constituted Council at the Bono Regional Coordinating Council on Monday, December 12, 2022, a member of the Governing Board of the National Peace Council, Nana Agyakoma Dufie II congratulated the New Council and disclosed that the Council is a prestigious one with a huge task to achieve. She further charged them to continue the good works of their predecessors to uphold and execute the mandate of the Council to ensure peace and security in the region.
Prof. Mrs. Derkyi representing the Academia on the Council, in her acceptance speech on behalf of the New Council thanked the Bono Region for believing in their expertise to deliver on the mandate of the Council to ensure peace and sustainability in the Bono Region. She noted that peace is an essential resource for development which needs to be prioritized among other developmental issues. She gave the assurance that the Council members would work within its powers to build and maintain peace and development in the region. To the stakeholders, she called for their continuous support and advice to the Council adding that they will always seek their help them until they respond. This, she likened to the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18:1-8.
The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) and the Catholic Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi giving his address as the Chairman for the inauguration ceremony, called for the need to build a peaceful generation starting at the grassroot level. He urged the Council members to involve the youth and embark on peace education initiatives at various schools in the region. This, he believes, is the way forward building a sustainable peace and development in the region and the country at large.
Representing the Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Chief Director at the BRCC, Mr. Andrews Naawini disclosed that the inauguration is a constitutional ritual to usher in the new Council Members after the expiration of the old Council. He said the region is faced with various land disputes which had the tendency of ripping off the peace enjoyed by the people of the region. He, however, acknowledged that the intervention of the Peace Council in the conflict resolution of these disputes and others has been enormous. He was hopeful that the new council would work to resolve outstanding disputes that may escalate to uncontrolled conflicts.
Nana Agyakoma Dufie II led the new Council to swear the Official Oath, Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Secrecy.
