The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) has initiated a Violent Extremism Prevention Project in some Border communities in Northern Ghana. The Project entitled ‘Minimizing the Drivers of Violent Extremism in Northern Ghana’ (Minimising the Drivers) is being implemented with the support of the US Embassy in Ghana under the Ambassador’s Resilience Fund (ARF) program.

Minimizing the Drivers is designed by FOSDA to contribute to building community resilience against conflict and the violent extremism in Northern Ghana, especially the border communities. It is a response to the spiking increase in extremist and terrorist attacks in the West African sub-region and the Sahel in recent times.  It also contributes directly the first guiding principle of the National Framework for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism (NFPCVET), which is ‘Education and Awareness Creation, and Pillar 1, ‘Prevent’ of the framework.

The project aims to directly strengthen the capacity of 150 local actors, especially youth and youth groups aged between 15 – 35, including women groups and Person with Disability to address cross-border security threats to Violent Extremism and radicalization. Another key objective is to prevent conflict and promote stability by reinforcing social cohesion, enhancing community engagement capabilities, and mitigating the negative impact of economic, and environmental vulnerabilities in the border communities.

Minimizing the Drivers is a 12-month project implemented by FOSDA and in partnership with the Upper West Youth Federation, Northeast Regional Youth Network, and the Upper East Regional Youth Network in Ghana’s five border communities, i.e., Paga and Magnori in the Upper East, Hamile and Gwollu in the Upper West, and Pagnatik in the Northeast regions.  

The project will work to prevent vulnerable groups of young men and women from being recruited into violent extremist organizations (VEOs) by promoting resilience against VEO outreach and social cohesion through education and sensitization.