The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), with support from the European Union (EU), has organised community youth meeting for the youth of Lito in the Central Gonja District. This initiative forms part of a broader strategy aimed at preventing violent extremism and ensuring a peaceful atmosphere for Ghana’s 2024 general elections.
The event held on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, brought together key stakeholders from the Lito traditional area, including youth groups, chiefs, market women, artisans, and people with special needs. The meeting was one of 30 engagements across the district targeting vulnerable or at-risk groups, focusing on issues related to electoral violence, the effects of violent extremism, and the rise of online radicalization.
The central theme of the meeting was to educate participants on the importance of peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and resilience against extremist ideologies. In particular, the NCCE emphasized the need for at-risk groups to understand the dangers of terrorism and the ways in which youth, especially, can be vulnerable to online radicalization.
In his opening remarks, the District Civic Education Officer, Saaka Yakubu Muftawu, highlighted the importance of peace in Ghana, noting that compared to neighboring countries like Burkina Faso and Mali, which are battling violent extremism, Ghana has largely remained peaceful. He cautioned that extremist activities often thrive in environments marked by bad leadership, corruption, and unemployment. He urged all participants to remain vigilant and resist any attempts by extremist groups to recruit them, stressing that the youth must play an active role in maintaining peace during the electoral process.
Mr. Elisha Abotasin, a team member of the NCCE, spoke to the dangers of online radicalization, warning that youth exposed to extremist content on social media are at risk of being manipulated. He cautioned against joining violent extremist groups, emphasizing the destructive impact these organizations have on individuals and the country’s peace and development. He also encouraged participants to be tolerant of differing views, whether political, religious, or ethnic, as unity is essential for the country’s progress.
Madam Zenabu Issahaku, another NCCE team member, urged participants not to be swayed by politicians offering money to incite violence during the elections. She reminded the group that voting is a civic responsibility and that no amount of money should lead them to engage in violent behavior.
Madam Salmu Chenti further explained the importance of vigilance in places of worship, noting that extremist groups often disguise themselves in various forms and may not always appear as one would expect. She urged the community to verify information from multiple sources before sharing it, stressing that the spread of misinformation and fake news could fuel extremism.
Participants were encouraged to take the discussions seriously and to work towards practical measures to detect and report extremist activities to security agencies. The session was conducted in local languages, including Gonja, Twi, and Dagbani, ensuring that the message reached a wide audience.
During the open forum, attendees voiced their concerns and suggestions. Some participants called for broader stakeholder consultations to find lasting solutions to the issue of violent extremism, while others shared their fears of visiting farms due to security concerns. Several participants expressed gratitude to the NCCE for addressing the issue promptly and suggested that continued engagement is essential to prevent extremism in their communities.
