Ghana still remains unattacked in a region under terrorist siege for more than a decade.
But it is important to acknowledge that violent extremism has not only become a threat to Ghana.
It is presently closer to the country than ever, the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE), Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar has said.
According to WACCE, 53 percent of West Africa has succumbed to terrorism.
Already, 13 Ghanaians are known to have joined extremist groups, and 23 others have been dissuaded from travelling to join the groups.
“Terrorists have a huge exploitative capacity; they take advantage of existing vulnerabilities to recruit and/or attack,” he said.
As the threat descends from the Sahel and Burkina Faso towards the coastal states, Northern Ghana has become more vulnerable.
To help address this, WACCE is embarking on Building Resilience Against Violent Extremism through Social Cohesion in Northern Ghana.
WACCE announced the initiative at a press briefing on Friday.
“In order to avoid a direct spillover onto Ghana, there is a need to work to eliminate existing vulnerabilities in Northern Ghana that can be exploited for extremist recruitment.
“In our research report released last year in May 2022, entitled ‘Ghana’s Exposure to Violent Extremism’, we highlighted Ghana’s vulnerability to the threat, from both external and internal sources,” he added.
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