The Paga Youth Movement, a non-partisan group, in collaboration with the Paga Traditional Council in the Upper East Region, has initiated a peace process aimed at uniting political party supporters in the Chiana-Paga constituency ahead of the 2024 elections. The initiative comes in response to escalating tensions between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the area. The youth movement and traditional council believe that if the tensions were not addressed, it could disrupt the peace of the area and the region at large. In their effort to create a more stable, representative, and effective political landscape in preparation for the upcoming elections, they intend to hold a series of meetings with the political parties to restore calm and create a conducive environment before, during, and after the elections. Pe Pwanalonga-Charles Awiah Awampaga, the Paramount Chief of the Paga Traditional Area, addressing supporters of the two main political parties at his palace, to mark the beginning of such engagements, indicated that the development and peace of the area should take precedence over individual political ambitions. According to him, 'setting aside their differences and working together to maintain harmony is crucial for the total development of the area and the country at large, and they must prioritise that over anything else'. He urged supporters of the parties to iron out their differences and work together for the betterment of the constituency and the country. Mr Wenawome Aborah, the Chairman of the Paga Youth Movement, emphasised that any disruption of the peace of the community would not only retard the development of the area but also ruin the future of the youth. He said peace was essential to the realization of the potential and aspiration of the youth and called on the political parties to avoid hate speech, ensure a violent free election, and prioritise the needs of the community. Mr Robert Apechira Aloo, the New Patriotic Part y's Parliament Candidate for the Chiana-Paga constituency, said his outfit was committed to ensuring violence-free elections and called on the party supporters to be cautious not to jeopardise the peace of the constituency. He also urged supporters of the opposition NDC to prioritise the peace of the community for sustainable development. Mr Adiali Dickson Ayagitam, the NDC Chairman of the Chiana-Paga constituency, said the development of every community hinged on peace and underscored the need for them to work together. He stated that the main objective of every political party was to gain political power and enhance the well-being of the people and disrupting the community's peace would do more harm to the people than good and urged all political activists to stay calm. Source: Ghana News Agency