The Director of the National Counter Terrorism Fusion Centre at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Brigadier General Timothy Tifucro Ba-Taa-Banah, has stated that Ghana is reviewing its national framework for preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism in the subregion.
According to him, the review is critical for strengthening national preparedness, resilience, and coordination frameworks to address emerging security threats within West Africa. He made the call during a three-day public forum in Accra aimed at reviewing Ghana’s national framework and assessing its effectiveness.
The exercise is designed to evaluate the implementation of the current framework, identify policy and operational gaps, and propose recommendations to strengthen prevention, governance, and response mechanisms. The 2019 framework had guided Ghana’s coordinated response to violent extremism and terrorism, supporting interagency cooperation, community resilience, public awareness, and preventive interventions.
However, Brigadier General Ba-Taa-Banah noted that the evolving security landscape in West Africa requires an update. Extremist groups in the Sahel are exploiting weak governance, socio-economic vulnerabilities, and local grievances, creating a complex environment that increasingly affects neighboring countries. He also highlighted the importance of addressing border vulnerabilities, intercommunal tensions, disinformation campaigns, and socio-economic frustrations, noting that digital platforms have become tools for spreading extremist narratives, particularly among youth.
The review, conducted in 11 of Ghana’s 16 administrative regions, gathered community insights on the local impact of extremism. Brigadier General Ba-Taa-Banah stressed that preventing violent extremism requires a whole-of-society approach, involving legislators, teachers, religious leaders, legal practitioners, media professionals, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations. He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to peace and stability through strong institutions, inclusive governance, and social cohesion, thanking the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for supporting the forum.
The Ghana Resident Representative of UNDP, Mr. Niloy Banerjee, said the exercise was critical to identifying implementation gaps since the framework’s launch in 2019. He added that UNDP, with funding from Germany, Australia, and Norway, had earlier supported assessments in the Northern, Upper East, and Savannah regions to take stock of emerging threats and propose improvements. While Ghana has not recorded terrorist attacks, developments in the Sahel highlight the need for vigilance.
Mr. Banerjee emphasised that preventing violent extremism requires addressing economic, political, and social challenges, including inequality, unemployment, limited access to education and healthcare, intercommunal tensions, and climate vulnerabilities. He noted that youth and women are key stakeholders in promoting peace and that UNDP will provide technical expertise, capacity-building, and partnerships to strengthen community resilience.
The Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP, Shaima Hussein, highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of violent extremism, including inequality, marginalisation, poverty, and local conflicts, as part of Ghana’s framework review. She stressed the key role of youth, women, and community actors in promoting peace and preventing radicalisation, and emphasised that inclusive engagement at the district and national levels strengthens resilience. UNDP will continue working with all stakeholders to foster dialogue, promote social cohesion, and ensure interventions reflect the voices and needs of Ghanaian society.
The review provides an opportunity to reflect on past achievements, learn from experiences, and develop a revised framework that incorporates the perspectives of Ghanaian society.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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