One Ghana Movement, GAFCSC hold Republic Day lecture on maritime insecurity and violent extremism

The One Ghana Movement, in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, has held a Republic Day lecture in Accra focused on maritime security and violent extremism in West Africa.

The lecture, held on Wednesday, July 1, formed part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the Command and Staff College.

It brought together security experts, military officers, and policy stakeholders to reflect on emerging security threats in the sub-region.

The event was chaired by former ECOWAS Resident Representative in Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah, and featured presentations from security consultant Professor Kwesi Aning and former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu.

The discussions, moderated by media and legal practitioner Samson Lardi Anyenini, centered on the theme: “From the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea: Violent Extremism and Maritime Insecurity in West Africa: Implications for Ghana and Regional Security.”

Sahel instability shaping regional security risks

Professor Kwesi Aning, in his presentation, said violent extremism in the Sahel has evolved into a major regional security threat driven by governance failures, poverty, and political instability.

“Since 2020, the Sahel has turned West Africa into a global epicentre of violent extremism and terrorism,” he said.

He explained that the crisis is not isolated, but linked to deeper structural challenges across the sub-region.

“These insecurities have arisen from the interplay between coups, corruption, poverty, and weak governance, making instability self-reinforcing,” he added.

He further cautioned that fragmented responses and externally driven interventions risk undermining long-term stability if not grounded in local realities.

The security expert noted that Ghana is well positioned to lead a new regional security reconfiguration amid West Africa's increasing instability following the withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) from the regional bloc and the changing security landscape.

Maritime insecurity and sovereignty concerns

Former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu (rtd) highlighted the growing overlap between maritime crime and land-based insecurity, warning that both now form part of a single threat ecosystem.

“No coastal state can claim full sovereignty if it cannot secure its maritime domain,” he said.

He noted that piracy, illegal fishing, trafficking, and other maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea continue to impose significant economic and security costs on the region.

“The security challenges of the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea are two sides of the same coin and must be addressed in tandem,” he said.

"Piracy off the West African coast is estimated to cost regional economies and the international community over $500 million each year. The criminals extract a few million dollars a year, but the region as a whole bleeds hundreds of millions in trying to guard against them. This is an unsustainable drain on our economies,” the former Naval chief added.

He also called for stronger maritime surveillance, improved inter-agency coordination, and sustained investment in technology to secure Ghana’s waters.

Call for coordinated regional response

Both speakers stressed the need for a unified security approach that integrates responses to both Sahelian extremism and maritime insecurity, warning that treating them separately weakens effectiveness.