Ghana faces growing terrorism threat, WACCE warns

The West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) has issued a warning that Ghana faces an unprecedented terrorism threat. Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, Executive Director of WACCE, stated during a dialogue in Accra that the country is “closer to the threat than ever” due to its geographical proximity to regions experiencing rising extremist violence.

Muqthar noted that while terrorism was once viewed as a distant issue centered in countries like Mali, the spread of violence into Burkina Faso has brought attacks much closer to Ghana’s borders. The movement of people fleeing insecurity in these neighboring areas is also cited as a factor in assessing national security risks.

Beyond geography, the Centre identified several internal socioeconomic vulnerabilities that could be exploited by extremist groups. These include pervasive youth unemployment, economic insecurity, chieftaincy disputes, and ethnic tensions.