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Strengthening the Role of Ghanaian Municipalities in the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees and Former Violent Extremist Offenders

Publication Date:

01/07/2026

Content Type:

Event Reports

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AccraCoastal West AfricaGhanaRehabilitation and Reintegration

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This report provides a summary of discussions during the event and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Strong Cities Network Management Unit, Strong Cities members, event sponsors or participants.

Event Details

Description: A national workshop on elevating the role of Ghanaian municipalities in a whole-of-society approach to the rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) of returnees from conflict zones and former violent extremist offenders. The workshop brought together municipal leaders, national authorities, civil society organisations and international partners to strengthen the capacity of local governments to contribute to whole-of-society approaches for the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees and former violent extremist offenders. 

Where & When: 1 – 2 July 2026, Accra (Ghana) 

Municipalities and Districts Represented

• Ghana: Bole District, Binduri District, Sagnarigu, Wulensi, Sawla, Tamale, Gomoa, Karaga, Gwollu

Partners Represented

International and non-governmental organisations:

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
• West Africa Centre for Countering Extremism (WACCE)
• Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)
• Coastal States Stability Mechanism – IOM (CSSM)
• GIZ Ghana
• United Nations Youth Association of Ghana (UNYA-GH)
• Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)
• West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)
• Center for Media, Security, and Governance Development (CEMSDEG Africa)
• Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA)
• Gender Centre for Empowering Development

Diplomatic Missions

• Embassy of Germany to Ghana
• High Commission of Canada
• British High Commission Accra
• Delegation of the European Union to Ghana

Key Takeaways

• Local governments in Ghana can play a critical role in R&R by integrating related activities into existing mandates, structures, and service-delivery mechanisms, even in the absence of a dedicated national R&R framework, let alone one that includes explicit mention of the role of municipalities.  
• While R&R remains a relatively new area of work for most municipalities across the country, participants emphasised the importance of building institutional foundations and local capacity in anticipation of future challenges. 
• Significant coordination gaps remain between national and local actors in Ghana, underscoring the need for stronger communication, information-sharing and joint planning mechanisms. 
• Participants framed R&R as a human security issue requiring a balanced approach that combines security, social inclusion, psychosocial support and economic opportunities.  

Recommendations for Mayors and Cities

• Formalise clear communication channels between District Security Councils and national authorities, including the National Counter Terrorism Fusion Centre, ensuring relevant security agencies are systematically involved in verifying returnees’ backgrounds before local reintegration proceeds, rather than handling cases on an ad hoc basis. 
• Adopt a multi-stakeholder approach at the local level, bringing together relevant actors and consolidating the overlapping mandates of numerous local committees and subcommittees where possible, while allowing each to retain with a degree of independence; note that coordination is often complicated by political factors, making reliable information flows and accountability essential. 
• Strengthen coordination structures at district and municipal levels by clarifying mandates and providing adequate operational support. 
• Adequately fund and equip local governments as genuine security partners, and deliver targeted capacity building for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), district coordinating directors, traditional leaders, and prominent youth leaders with tailored training programmes developed in partnership with institutions such as the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. 
• Address practical enforcement gaps, such as District Chief Executives’ limited authority to enforce certain bylaws (e.g., livestock movement restrictions linked to herder-related tensions). 

Recommendations for National Governments

• Amend the 2008 Anti-Terrorism Act to reflect current realities, explicitly incorporating R&R and the return of extremist offenders and terrorism suspects, and ensure national security and counter-terrorism strategies clearly define roles, responsibilities, indicators, and expertise needed for implementation. 
• Develop a comprehensive national R&R framework that defines institutional responsibilities, coordination mechanisms (including between government institutions and traditional leaders), and accountability structures. 
• Designate a national coordinator for R&R to clarify institutional ownership and accountability. 
• Establish a working group with the Ghana Prisons Service to design R&R interventions and involve the Ministry of Gender given the particular vulnerabilities of women and children. 
• Formalise communication and referral pathways between national institutions and local actors, including District Security Councils (DISECs) and Municipal Security Councils (MUSECs).
• Build data protection and confidentiality capacity to support secure information-sharing between local and national actors and equip frontline officers with the tools needed for effective information management, particularly given emerging hybrid threats linked to returnees. 

Recommendations for Partners and Donors

• Support public awareness initiatives designed to reduce stigma, strengthen social cohesion and facilitate community acceptance of R&R. 
• Invest in training media professionals and in-house institutional media capacity to responsibly report on security and conflict issues and manage the flow of sensitive information, while empowering the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to play a stronger role. 
• Recognise the growing importance of the media and the digital landscape in countering violent extremism, including emerging risks posed by artificial intelligence. 
• Review resource allocation to local assemblies, particularly around migration-related responsibilities and how newly formed assemblies can integrate security functions within their policy structures following their elections. 

Next Steps

• Engagement and Coordination 
  The Strong Cities Network will continue supporting national and local stakeholders to strengthen the role of local governments in the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees and former violent extremist offenders through sustained engagement with government institutions, local authorities and international partners. 
• Peer Learning and Exchange 
  Strong Cities will facilitate continued peer-to-peer exchanges between Ghanaian municipalities and international counterparts to share lessons, practices and approaches related to rehabilitation, reintegration, and prevention. 
• Development of an Action Agenda 
  Insights generated through the workshop will inform the development of a Strong Cities Network Action Agenda for local governments in coastal West Africa on R&R, providing practical guidance for municipalities seeking to strengthen preparedness and resilience in the face of evolving security challenges. 

Additional Resources

• Strong Cities Mapping on the Overlooked Role of African Cities in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Strong Cities Network (2022) 
• Strengthening the role of cities in Coastal West Africa to address hate, extremism and polarisation through enhanced National-Local Cooperation, Strong Cities Network (October 2023) 
• Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from Syria and Iraq: Ten Lessons from the Berlin Experience for Local Governments, Strong Cities Network (Updated October 2024)  
• Unleashing the Potential of Moroccan Cities in Supporting a Whole-of-Society Approach to Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Strong Cities Network (June 2025) 
• National-Local Cooperation Toolkit, Global Counterterrorism Forum, Strong Cities Network (September 2023) 
• Countering Hate Speech in Times of Crisis: Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• Managing Migration: City-Led Approaches for Being an Inclusive, Welcoming and Socially-Cohesive City, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• City-Led Prevention of Hate, Extremism and Polarisation: Leveraging Local Youth Councils, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• City-Led Youth Engagement in Addressing Hate, Extremism and Polarisation: Ten Recommendations for Cities, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• Creating Safe, Cohesive and Resilient Cities through Urban Planning & Design: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• National-Local Cooperation: A Pillar of City-Led Prevention of Hate, Extremism and Polarisation – A Practice Update, Strong Cities Network (December 2024) 
• Global Crises, Local Impacts Initiative, Strong Cities Network (2024) 
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (Updated April 2024) 
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisation, Strong Cities Network (Updated March 2025) 
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network (May 2024) 
• Constructing UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Cities, Operational Guidelines (May 2024) 
• City Spotlights Library, Strong Cities Network 

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