The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the fight against terrorism and violent extremism cannot be limited only to military means, as vital as they are.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “Broader policies must also be put in place to create opportunities and jobs for our youth if we are to deal successfully with their root causes.”
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum, the President urged African leaders to prioritize access to education for Africa’s youth as a means to combating terrorism and violent extremism
Africa, the President explained, must, as a matter of great urgency, ensure access to education for all her youth.
According to him, the fact that about 89 million young Africans of schools going age are not in school has to stop, and stop now.
He said In Ghana, at great cost, his government has, since assuming office in January 2017, instituted a system of free secondary education, which has increased enrolment by nearly 50%. This month when schools re-open, 1.2 million Ghanaian children will be beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School policy, the highest number of pupils in a secondary school in our history.
Secondly, President Akufo-Addo advocated for the structural transformation of African economies, which are currently dependent on the production and export of raw materials, to value-added, industrialized economies.
Thirdly, the President called for the promotion and the development of a system and culture of accountable governance, free of corruption, whereby the African peoples are governed in accordance with the rule of law, respect for individual liberties and human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability.
And such a system requires building strong institutions of the state, such as well-resourced Parliaments and Judiciaries, efficient law enforcement agencies, and effective security forces.
