Accra: The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has launched a new initiative aimed at boosting the resilience of vulnerable communities in northern Ghana against the threat of violent extremism. The project, titled 'Promoting Socio-Economic Inclusion, Social Cohesion, and Peacebuilding for Vulnerable Communities,' is funded by the Global Community Engagement Resilience Fund (GCERF) and will be rolled out in 15 districts across the Upper West, North East, and Upper East Regions.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two-year project will employ a three-pronged strategy focusing on socio-economic inclusion, strengthening social cohesion, and enhancing peacebuilding efforts. Eric Doe, the Programmes Officer of CDD-Ghana in Tamale, highlighted that the rising threats of extremism in neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and C´te d'Ivoire have necessitated this intervention. Challenges such as unemployment, poverty, inter-ethnic conflicts, and extremist ideologies have increased vulnerability to insecurity in the region.
A baseline survey conducted as part of the project revealed several concerning findings. Approximately ten percent of youth aged 15 to 24 expressed support for violence as a means to address grievances, a statistic that Mr. Doe described as alarming. The survey also identified a lack of sufficient productive assets among community members, indicating a high level of economic vulnerability to violent extremist activities.
Further findings pointed to moderate levels of trust within communities and a disconnection from decision-making processes, suggesting a disconnect between local governance and citizens. Respondents highlighted health, education, and clean water as their most pressing needs, followed by security, with young people particularly emphasizing the importance of telecommunications and internet connectivity.
The report underscored the necessity for targeted livelihood support, skills training, and economic empowerment, particularly for women and out-of-school youth. It also noted a high level of trust in local authorities, presenting an opportunity for collaboration to prevent radicalization and violence.
Pognaa Fati Issaka Koray, the Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, stated that the dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange experiences and develop strategies to address peace and security challenges. She affirmed the Regional Coordinating Council's commitment to integrating the outcomes of the dialogue into district and regional planning and decision-making.
The Centre for Advancing Rural Opportunity (CARO-Ghana) is spearheading the project implementation in the Nandom, Lambussie, Lawra, and Wa West Districts in the Upper West Region. Freeman Kanton, the Executive Director of CARO-Ghana, explained that the project aims to strengthen community resilience against potential infiltration, radicalization, or recruitment of youth by extremist organizations. Kanton emphasized the need to address unemployment and promote peaceful coexistence to mitigate vulnerabilities to violent extremism in the region.
The meeting was attended by stakeholders, including representatives from security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women groups, and Heads of Departments and Agencies.
