A regional research body, West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism (WACCE), has warned the multiplying unresolved chieftaincy, land and ethnic violence in Ghana is hardening more Ghanaian youth into violent extremists and could be a conveyor belt for criminal subculture and terrorist recruitment.
The group revealed that at least 12 Ghanaians have so far left the country since 2014 to join ISIS and other terrorist networks around the world after being radicalized and recruited online.
WACCE also disclosed there is an alarming number of the youth having close ties and daily contacts with terrorist recruiters via online activities and most them are succumbing to the allure of terrorist ideals, according to the counter extremism agency.
With over 352 unresolved conflicts nationwide, the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism disclosed that chieftaincy and ethnic violence remained Ghana’s single biggest source of insecurity and instability and present serious threat to the country’s most valuable trademark -peace and political stability.
The regular occurrence of these deadly violence in the past two decades such as the Bawku inter-etting conflict, Dagbon and Bimbilla chieftaincy crisis, Nakpanduri and Nkonya – Alavanyo and many others have claimed hundreds of lives. WACCE’s research indicate that ethnic and chieftaincy conflicts have claimed an estimated over 12,700 lives between 1981 and 2018.
The group also warned that the existence of prolonged unresolved chieftaincy conflicts characterized by youth participation does not only pose a major security threat and governance challenge, but also the tendency to create an enduring culture of violence among the youth.
The group noted further that the sporadic land and chieftaincy clashes in the country is hardening the Ghanaian youth and making them more extremists and could provide fluid and pleasant opportunity for terrorist recruiters’ exploitation and engagement.
Following this chilling observation, the United States Embassy in Accra in collaboration with the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism (WACCE) organized a two – day capacity building workshop in Tamale, Northern Region.
Executive Director of the WACCE, Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar told journalists that since the defeat of ISIS in the Middle East, West African has become a favorable ground for their operation and that nearly 6,000 youth from West African nations who joined terrorist groups are returning home.
He said the workshop is intended to train and prepare about 120 youth leaders and community representatives from conflict zones in Northern Ghana to serve as effective peace ambassadors to enable them contribute effectively towards building a resilient youth front for sustainable peace.
The training will also empower participants to contribute and lead initiatives, serving as leading voices for the amplification of narratives that are supportive of peace.
The agency has therefore called on all stakeholders, including government, National Peace Council, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of chieftaincy and Culture, Religious and Traditional leaders and especially the media, to do more to find lasting solutions to the many conflicts.
The group also called on the youth and civil society to prevail on their leadership to eschew partisan interests, and to work genuinely towards sustainable peace. West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism (WACCE), founded in Ghana, 2014, is an independent regional research organization focused on security and counter – terrorism research and outreach in West Africa.
In the last three years, the organization has succeeded in working with the local community to dissuade more than 22 individuals from sliding into the void of Radicalization and Violent Extremism.
In 2016, through its local community counter radicalization program, it worked hard to stop a young man, 21, from joining ISIS just a day before he was scheduled to depart to Syria.
WACCE’s works are intended at uncovering the underpinnings of radicalization and violent extremism to serve as effective contribution to State and Regional counter terrorism policy and strategy.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/Eliasu Tanko