"Violent extremism is not only a threat to our democracy, but also a threat to the survival of the human race and must therefore be discouraged in all forms and nature," Mr Emmanuel Abass Laari, the Binduri District Director of the Commission has said.

Mr Laari was speaking to some youth groups in Binduri in the Upper East Region, at an engagement as part the implementation of the Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism.

The programme, with funding from the European Union, was to sensitise the youth on how to contribute to prevent and contain violent extremism in their communities through the promotion of social cohesion, peace and tolerance.

It brought together 50 participants; drawn from the informal sector, including youth groups, such as tailors, dressmakers, Hairdressers, Weavers, Muslim and Christian youth groups among others.

The District Director explained that violent extremism had become a global concern with many people losing their lives and others being displaced and there was the need to collectively fight to prevent it from spilling over into Ghana.

Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Mr Rockson Akanbang, the Commander for Ghana Immigration Services in charge of Mognori who educated the participants on preventing violent extremism in Ghana, said the youth were critical stakeholders in the fight against the menace.

He said the negative effects of violent extremism on the peace and security of the country were enormous and advocated increased community surveillance and awareness creation at public places to help people to detect early signs of extremism.

He said the security forces could not fight the menace of violent extremism alone and urged the youth to volunteer information by way of reporting to the security agencies, any suspicious activities.

Mr Shadrach Ngambire Sampambire, the District PastorPentecost Church, Bazua, who took participants through peace building mechanisms and national cohesion, said peace building was a complex endeavour that took time and patience.

He told participants that peace building was key to conflict prevention, management and resolution and was most important to preventing breeding grounds for extremists to exploit.