Executive Director for Media Foundation West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has expressed the need for government to institute strong multinational approach in tackling terrorism.

According to him, the menace is imminent and must be holistically addressed to forestall any attack on the country. He revealed that terrorism poses threats to Ghana and government must resolve to ensure optimum security and safety in the country.

“I think we’ve gotten to a point where we need a strong multinational approach towards combating the menace that we face because it started in Mali and now it’s in Burkina Faso, Niger is caught up in the middle there and we’ve seen attacks in Cote d’Ivoire and multiple attacks in Togo…”
Sulemana Braimah

Commenting on Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s launch of a $450 million multi-country development project dubbed, the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project in Bolgatanga, Mr Braimah emphasized that although money is important, what the country needs transcends anything monetary.

The MFWA Executive Director highlighted that the project by government is a great intervention, but more must be done. He stated that government must not lounge around until “there’s a strike before we start to panic and react” quickly.

“Well, it’s a positive development but it’s difficult to conclude that this will be the answer to the threats that we face from terrorists and insurgent activities in the Sahel region. We are beginning to see a spillover of refugees into many parts of Upper East region. Money is a necessary condition but certainly not efficient condition to deal with the problem.”
Sulemana Braimah

Mr Braimah explained that there is equally the need to effectively sensitize Ghanaians, beef up security and engage multilaterally. He noted that the Foundation is not comfortable with the approach of ECOWAS in ridding the continent of the menace. He asserted that it appears that each “country for itself and God for us all”.

Launch of $450m Gulf Of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project

It will be recalled that Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, launching the project in Bolgatanga on Friday, November 25, 2022, revealed that out of the total amount of $450 million facility, the Government of Ghana has secured US $150 million to implement the Project in forty-eight Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in six regions of the country.

He described the project as a very important and timely intervention aimed at addressing some key emerging and recurring challenges in the northern part of Ghana.

For the Ghana project, the Vice President further explained that the project will focus mostly on border communities in these regions, where the citizenry especially women and youth are exposed and susceptible to the threats of terrorism from the Sahel Region.

The project will also prioritize the needs of communities and strengthen local institutions to give the citizenry, especially the vulnerable, a voice to take part, influence and play a vital role in prioritizing local development investments, as well as, promote social cohesion and build trust in their communities.

For almost a decade, the living conditions of over sixteen million people living in the northern parts of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo have been threatened by the spread of conflict from the Sahel, which has led to increased vulnerability to the impact of climate change.