A recent baseline survey conducted under the Strengthening Resilience and Resistance to Violent Extremism in Northern Ghana (STRIVE-Ghana) project has revealed worryingly low levels of awareness and understanding of violent extremism among communities in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.
The STRIVE-Ghana project, jointly implemented by AfriKids, Northern Sector Action on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC), and CAPECS, and funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), aims to assess community perceptions, knowledge, and resilience regarding the rising threat of violent extremism in northern Ghana.
The project is being rolled out across nine municipal and district assemblies, including:
Bolgatanga Municipal, Kassena-Nankana West, Talensi, Nabdam, Tempane, Builsa South, Nadowli Kaleo, Daffiama-Bussie-Issa and Mamprugu Moagduri
According to survey findings, a significant majority of respondents (72.9%) reported having low or very low awareness of violent extremism. Only 11.8% indicated high or very high awareness, highlighting a major knowledge gap that could hinder early detection, community preparedness, and resilience-building efforts.
The Talensi District component of the project is being implemented in the Biung and Gbane communities, where local dynamics, youth vulnerability, and employment challenges pose additional concerns for long-term peace and security.
At a stakeholder validation forum held at the Rock View Hotel in Tongo, Mr. Inusah Ahmed Tijani, a member of the consulting team for the project, outlined the survey’s methodology and importance. He emphasized that the baseline findings were designed to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing the risks of radicalization and violent extremism.
“We were asked to first conduct a baseline assessment to determine existing structures within the community before the rollout of main interventions,” he explained.
“Secondly, we carried out stakeholder mapping to identify key actors essential to the successful implementation of the project,” he added.
Mr. Tijani further stressed that the youth are central to the STRIVE-Ghana project’s success. Through a desk review and needs assessment, the team discovered that unemployment and youth marginalization are critical drivers of vulnerability to extremist influence.
“We needed to assess the existing employment landscape—types of jobs, their categories, and distribution—across the targeted communities to guide future youth empowerment and livelihood support activities,” he said.
The STRIVE-Ghana initiative seeks to build community-level resilience by empowering local stakeholders, engaging marginalized youth, and fostering awareness through education, training, and dialogue. Stakeholders at the forum called for greater collaboration between government, civil society, traditional leaders, and community members to address root causes of extremism and promote peace and stability in northern Ghana.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Samuel Adagom|Ghana
