Advancing Peace in Northern Ghana: Bridging the Gap between Policies and Community

Northern Ghana remains a hotspot of recurring conflicts, rooted in chieftaincy disputes, land competition, ethnic rivalries, and political manipulation. The persistence of these conflicts, especially in Bawku, Yendi, and Chereponi, has weakened social cohesion, undermined development, and heightened community mistrust. State capacity to respond is limited, as only 3.5% of rural localities in the north had police stations as of 2021, leaving communities vulnerable to violence and infiltration by extremist groups operating in the Sahel.

The Government of Ghana has made strides in peacebuilding through the National Peace Council, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and alignment with continental frameworks such as the African Union’s 2013 Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform. Yet these interventions remain fragmented and often fail to link high-level frameworks to grassroots realities.

This brief proposes that the Northern Intergenerational Peace Dialogues (NIPDs) serve as a vital complement to government and regional frameworks. By bridging generational divides and embedding local insights into national and continental peace strategies, NIPDs can contribute to sustainable reconciliation and strengthen Ghana’s resilience against extremist threats.