Ghana to receive $3 Million support from GCERF to battle terrorism

The government of Ghana is set to receive up to $3 million in funding from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) to bolster the country’s efforts in fighting terrorism and extremism.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, February 2, 2024, at the Ministry of National Security, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Ambassador Sena Siaw-Boateng, noted the need for extra effort to be channeled into Ghana’s fight against extremism, which is growing in the sub-region.

“It is imperative that we address the pressing issue of terrorism and violent extremism that continues to plague our sub-region and now threatens to trickle down far south towards Ghana. The rise in terrorism in neighboring countries poses a significant threat to our national security and stability,” she stated.

Noting the need for collaborative efforts in the fight, the chief director underscored the importance of softer means of dealing with the phenomenon.

“It is crucial that we recognize the interconnectedness of the threats, and we need a collaborative effort to be able to combat them effectively. We are also trying to prevent any radicalization of our citizenry in the border community areas. We must employ non-kinetic approaches, that is the soft approaches, to address the root causes of these issues, including social, economic disparities, marginalization, and ideological grievances,” she added.

On his part, the Board Chairman of GCERF, Stefano Manservisi, said the funding will go a long way in complementing the efforts of the government of Ghana in dealing with extremism and terrorism.

“We are starting this summer, and we are going to make an initial investment of $3 million, which will be very small grants to various local community-based organizations. We intend to continue that investment for the next ten years with increasing amounts,” he stated.

Currently engaged in a needs assessment for the project, the board chairman underscored that the work of GCERF will lead to a wider and more direct engagement with communities impacted or facing threats of extremism, especially in the northern part of the country.



As part of the needs assessment, the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism, Muktar Mumuni Muktar, delivered a presentation on the threats of terrorism confronting Ghana, especially at the various border communities in northern Ghana.

He pointed to factors such as religious clashes, chieftaincy and ethnic disputes, ethnic marginalization as some of the driving forces posing threats of terrorism in Ghana.

“The reason unresolved conflicts are a big driver or a big factor is that extremist groups are very exploitative; they take advantage of existing conflicts either to recruit or to aid in attacks,” he stated.

The security expert, however, noted some initiatives already being undertaken by the government of Ghana, including the “See Something, Say Something” initiatives while expressing belief that the GCERF support will help make such initiatives more effective in the battle against terrorism.

The expansion of terrorist activities in some countries within the Sahel-Sahara region has raised concerns about Ghana becoming a target of extremists as they continue to surge towards coastal West Africa. As part of preemptive measures to battle terrorism, Ghana continues to adopt measures aimed at strengthening national security as well as citizen awareness.

Also present for the press conference were other state agencies and organisations involved in the terrorism fight including the National Boundary Commission.

The See Something, Say Something initiative encourages the public to be vigilant of the activities of suspicious characters and report such activities and characters to security agencies.

In recent times, the Ministry of National Security has been scaling up the campaign by engaging school children in the various roles they can play to fight extremism."