The Atlantic Corridor project has been launched at Langbinsi in the East Mamprusi municipality of the North East Region.
The Atlantic Corridor project sponsored by UNDP and the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Peace Council aims to strengthen mechanisms and approaches for early warning and response to violent extremism in target locations.
It is also to strengthen the socio-economic resilience of at-risk youth women, and other vulnerable populations in target locations and promote and disseminate alternative and counter-narrative messages, including hate speech promoting violence and violent extremism in target locations.
The Government of Denmark under its Peace and Stabilisation Fund (PSF) will support a component of the UNDP PVE Regional project dubbed PVE Atlantic Corridor Project 2023 to 2025 for 18 months in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The project seeks to prevent and address the immediate localized drivers of radicalization leading to violent extremism in target communities in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, while providing support to strengthening the ‘Infrastructures for Peace’, namely mechanisms for early warning, and early response at local-level.
The project launch brought together youth organizations, women organizations, chiefs, and the clergy among other stakeholders.
Coastal West African countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo), once considered peaceful, are now facing threats from violent extremism, terrorism, drug trafficking, and piracy and there is a risk of extremist groups spreading from the Sahel region, which could have serious consequences for stability.
Prevention of violent extremism is crucial, as cases of radicalisation and recruitment have been documented, along with cross-border movements of extremist groups and violent incidences.
Acting Executive Secretary of the North East Regional Peace Council, Haruna Ibrahim, at the launch of the Atlantic Corridor Project, indicated that as part of the project they have organized a community sensitization on hate speech in targeted communities in the East Mamprusi municipality.
According to him, there is a need to build community resilience to prevent and respond to violent extremism.
“ We want to educate the community members on hate speech and counter-narratives so that we will promote peaceful coexistence and social cohesion in the communities. 2024 is just at the corner and this sensitization will help community members to be mindful of their speech which could incite people during this political season”.
Rev. David Ababire, who represented the Chairman of the North East Regional Peace Council, urged the community members to be ambassadors of peace in their various communities.
“ Peace is important in the 2024 general elections and so we are urging them to ensure that they preach peace in their communities so that at the end of the day we will have peaceful elections during and after so that we can also be in a position to benefit from any developmental projects from the government because without peace you can’t get development”.
The Youth Chief of Langbinsi, Chief Issahaku Iddrisu, appealed to the youth to ensure that they extend the peace campaign to the various Churches, Mosques, and every gathering in their various communities.
“ I will appeal to the youth to preach peace everywhere in the communities and desist from insulting each other in the name of politics but rather preach about issues that will bring development and peace”.
BY Eric Kombat, Langbinsi