By Abdulai Zulkaninu | December 29, 2025
The Executive Director of the Coalition for the Development of Northern Ghana (NORTHCODE-GHANA), Mr. Cletus Zume Zeus, has called on young people in the Savannah Region to assume leadership roles in promoting peace and social cohesion. He described the youth as the backbone of the nation and emphasized the need for them to take responsibility in safeguarding peaceful coexistence within their communities.
Mr. Zeus made the call at the launch of NORTHCODE-GHANA’s Youth Peace Project, dubbed “Leaders of Today, Not Tomorrow,” held on December 29, 2025, at the Damongo Community Centre. The project is being implemented in partnership with Conciliation Resources–UK, with funding support from Global Affairs Canada.
The launch brought together a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including youth groups, women and minority groups, traditional and religious authorities, state institutions, security agencies, and development partners.
The project is being rolled out under the theme “Strengthening Transnational Youth Peace Leadership Along the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire Border.”
The programme was chaired by Chief Ahmed Abdallah Tolondompewura (Chief Monor) and attended by the West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Yakubu Iddrisu Castro.
Explaining the rationale for the project, Mr. Zeus noted that the Savannah Region was strategically selected due to its vast land size and its international borders with Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. He said the initiative seeks to equip young people with leadership and practical conflict-prevention skills to counter violent extremism and promote peace, particularly in border and other vulnerable communities.
He warned that ongoing security challenges in neighbouring countries, including violent extremism and insurgency-related attacks, pose potential spillover risks to Ghana. According to him, empowering young people to take the lead in peacebuilding is critical to protecting communities and ensuring long-term stability for development.
Mr. Zeus also raised concerns about illegal mining activities, especially in parts of the Bole District, describing them as a potential security threat due to the presence of undocumented foreign nationals. He cautioned that such activities could create fertile grounds for criminal networks and instability if left unchecked.
Addressing the youth directly, he urged them to prioritize self-development and integrity, warning that politicians, traditional leaders, and other influencers sometimes exploit young people for selfish interests, leading to conflicts that can escalate into communal or tribal violence. He encouraged the youth to resist manipulation, embrace dialogue, and serve as agents of peace in the region.
Touching on drug abuse, Mr. Zeus described the growing trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs among young people as a major threat to the future of the region. He called on the Ghana Police Service to adopt more rehabilitative approaches, noting that well-structured rehabilitation programmes would better reform affected youth and reintegrate them into society.
In his remarks, the West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Yakubu Yussif Castro, welcomed the initiative, saying the Youth Peace Project would significantly strengthen peace and resilience in the Savannah Region. He appealed to Ghanaians to commit themselves to building lasting peace.
Participants expressed appreciation to NORTHCODE-GHANA and its partners for the initiative and pledged their support to ensure its success.
One participant, Madam Ayisha, described the project as timely, saying it would equip young people with the skills needed to promote and protect peace for growth and development.
Officials from NORTHCODE GHANA walked participants through the project implementation strategies, timelines and expected outcomes.
The Youth Peace Project is scheduled to commence implementation in January 2026.
