National Peace Council calls for stronger civilian-security collaboration to counter violent extremism

Mrs Janet Sarney Kuma, Director of Capacity Development and Outreach at the National Peace Council (NPC), has emphasised the need for trust and cooperation between civilians and security services in addressing the drivers of violent extremism.

Speaking at a dialogue with youth, women, and opinion leaders from communities in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Mrs Kuma said security is a shared responsibility that cannot be left to one institution alone. She urged both civilians and security personnel to work together to address the root causes of violent extremism and ensure peaceful coexistence to foster development.

The dialogue, part of the Prevention of Violent Extremism Through Social Accountability II (PoVETSA II) project led by Catholic Relief Services with funding from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed at strengthening public trust in security services and enhancing social accountability mechanisms in peacebuilding.

Mrs Kuma reminded participants that while Ghana remains a beacon of stability in the sub-region, peace cannot be taken for granted. “Violent extremism and terrorism pose threats not only to national security but also to the peace and development of families and communities. This calls for vigilance and proactive collaboration between citizens and state actors,” she said.

Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Clement Awaitey of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) stressed the importance of community collaboration in safeguarding the country’s borders, urging civilians to volunteer information to security services. Similarly, ANCO Jennifer Abedi, Acting Head of the Education and Counselling Unit at the Upper East Regional office of the Narcotics Control Commission, raised concern about rising drug abuse among youth and appealed for community cooperation in exposing illicit drug traders. She assured civilians of the Commission’s confidentiality in handling information.

Peace and Conflict Resolution consultant, Mr Ali Anankpieng, who facilitated the dialogue, noted that fractured civilian-security relations, unresolved internal conflicts, and threats of extremist violence cannot be resolved solely through military or security responses. He stressed the need for a balanced approach that combines operational responses with community-based strategies targeting root causes such as poverty, inequality, and political exclusion.

Drawing on lessons from other countries, Mr Anankpieng warned that strategies heavily reliant on militarisation without community engagement are unsustainable. He advocated for a “whole-of-society” approach to tackling violent extremism and praised Ghana’s Prevent, Pre-empt, Protect, and Respond framework as a comprehensive model. He urged stakeholders to strengthen its implementation at the community level to make it more effective.