GHANAS' VULNERABILITY TO TERRORIST ATTACK

The 9/11 attack on the iconic twin towers marked the beginning of a new global phenomenon where states has become more alerts to threats that were deemed insignificant. The attack on the United States has led to huge investment in more sophisticated surveillance systems used by states in its efforts to curb terrorism.

Ghana just like other countries are not immune from terrorist attacks. The fight against jihadists in the Sahelian region could reverberate and be felt in Ghana. The balkanization of Libya with no sovereign government to keep order makes the country a fertile ground for jihadists. The unintended consequence of the Libyan war is that, it has led to the flow of uncontrolled arms sales in the Sahel which may eventually be used by these groups in any attack on Ghana.

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Any emerging country like Ghana, has huge social and economic challenges confronting it and this serves as the ideal ground for jihadist to plot, recruit and carry out their activities. The rapid urbanization coupled with industrialization means that foreign direct investment is increasing and thus, foreign nationals from the West are highly to be target by this jihadist groups as part of their proxy wars against the West

The current unemployment rate in Ghana would serve as a catalyst for the some of this extremists groups who prey on weak and unemployed youth to fill their ranks. In fact, unemployment is major ticking bomb waiting to explode in Ghana. The current trajectory of youth apathy on national issues, pessimism about the future of the country all indicates that the country is not handling issues of unemployment as serious as it ought to be.The government needs to create jobs for the unemployed youth directly or indirectly through the private sector.

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The government of Ghana needs huge investment in surveillance tools as well as capacity building and training of security personnel on intelligence gathering. The operational sophistication of these armed groups is difficult to notice and thus, Ghana needs to prepare investing hugely in its security with sensitizing its citizenry on the activities o f these groups and the need for the people to serves as agent of providing information and and hideouts of persons suspected to be members of such groups.

The media would play a very significant role this fight since they are those who shapes our world view and even an interpretation of what constitute terrorism. The clergy and traditional rulers are institutions that could be used in the sensitization process.