UN says bread and butter are major causes of conflicts
Mr. Ernest Asigre, Field Programmes Coordinator of the United Nations Joint Programme on Human Security has observed that most of the conflicts in the country are being caused by ‘bread and butter consideration, adding that human security cases are highly responsible for most of the conflicts.
He said when people are agitated over bread and butter issues which have to do with people’s livelihoods, then national security is equally being challenged and called on Government to adopt a human security strategy at resolving conflict.
Mr. Asigre was speaking in Tamale on Thursday during the opening ceremony of a two-day capacity building workshop for a group of journalists drawn from the Northern and Upper East Regions.
The workshop was organized by the Rural Media Network (RUMNET), a media network organization in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and is aimed at building the capacities of media practitioners to report accurately and consciously on conflict issues.
Mr. Asigre noted that human security was at the forefront of all spheres of life including political and economic sectors that needed an advanced integrated, multi-sectoral and people-centered approach.
He indicated that the UN was implementing a three-year human security project in the three regions of the North on a pilot bases adding when successful, it would be extended to other parts of the country.
Mr. Theophilus Ibrahim Dokugu, Board Chairman of WANEP-Ghana indicated that the problem of Dagbon was not the royals themselves but from external influence, stressing that people must concentrate on fighting poverty which is a major problem in Dagbon, instead of fueling conflicts in the area.
He urged journalists to be cautious when reporting on conflicts noting that they must know the dynamics of conflicts including the historical backgrounds, context, issues among others before they could properly report on them.
Mr. Imoro Alhassan Media Director of RUMNET said the workshop was timely, especially with the coming of the 2012 general elections when reports from journalists could create trouble for the country noting that the workshop will enable journalists report accurately on the elections.
He appealed to journalists to be cautious in their reportage since what they report could have damaging consequences for the nation.
Source: GNA