The Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has called on stakeholders in the Ashanti Region to adopt a united and proactive approach to addressing security challenges, particularly the rising incidence of violent crime.
Speaking at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council’s New Year Retreat for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Kumasi, Hon. Muntaka emphasized that peace and security are fundamental to development and social stability.
The retreat was held under the theme “Retreat, Re-organize, and Redirect Towards the Reset Agenda.”
The Interior Minister underscored the pivotal role of MMDCEs as key actors in maintaining law and order at the local level, noting that their leadership is crucial in preventing and responding to security threats within their respective jurisdictions.
He expressed concern over the increasing use of firearms in violent crimes and urged MMDCEs to actively support and promote the government’s Gun Amnesty Programme, aimed at encouraging the voluntary surrender of illegal weapons.
According to him, the success of such initiatives depends largely on sustained community engagement and collaboration between local authorities, security agencies and traditional leaders.
Hon. Muntaka further encouraged the Chief Executives to work closely with the security services to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance public education on security issues, and foster trust between communities and law enforcement agencies.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing the necessary support to improve security operations across the region, stressing that collective responsibility and decisive local leadership remain key to safeguarding lives and property in the Ashanti Region.
