In the heart of Northern Ghana, the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project is working to strengthen the bonds that hold communities together and to build resilience against economic and social challenges.

Through an array of youth engagement initiatives, cultural celebrations, and sports activities, SOCO is empowering communities across the Upper West, Upper East, Northern, North East, Savannah, and Oti Regions, fostering a spirit of unity and mutual understanding among diverse groups.

Implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development (MLGDRD), the SOCO Project is part of a larger regional initiative encompassing Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, and Benin, with a total investment of $450 million by the World Bank, of which Ghana has been allocated $150 million.

The project aims to address the complex factors driving fragility in these regions, including economic instability, climate risks, and social inequality.

One of the SOCO project’s core objectives has been to encourage social cohesion and prevent divisive forces from destabilizing communities. Notable among these initiatives are 20 events dubbed “SOCO Games” and 15 cultural festivals hosted across the selected project regions.

The project has also provided over 8,000 community members with spaces to connect, celebrate, and engage in healthy competition.

These sports and cultural gatherings not only create a sense of unity but also serve as a practical measure to keep the youth actively involved in positive community life, reducing the risk of them engaging in divisive or extremist behaviours.

Additionally, these gatherings bridge divides between different cultural and ethnic groups, promoting a collective sense of identity and purpose that transcends individual, ethnic and religious differences.

SOCO project has also inaugurated two Youth Parliaments in West Mamprusi and Nabdam Districts with about 14 more to be inaugurated in the second cycle of implementation.

The SOCO Project has funded eleven 11 Youth Parliamentary sessions in its first year of implementation. These parliaments give young people a formal voice in local governance, allowing them to engage in discussions on pressing issues, propose solutions, and play an active role in decisions affecting their lives and communities.

The Youth Parliament model provides youth with a sense of agency and belonging, fostering positive civic engagement rather than allowing frustrations to potentially turn toward divisive actions.

Further reinforcing its commitment to peace, the SOCO Project has organized 10 inter-community dialogues across the regions, inviting diverse groups to partake in conversations aimed at promoting mutual understanding, respect, and peace.

In communities where resources are limited and pressures are high, these dialogue sessions provide an essential platform for addressing misunderstandings and grievances in a controlled, constructive environment.

As political campaigns intensify, MLGDRD remains focused on the importance of these SOCO-led peace-building efforts.

Recognising that community and youth engagements are critical to maintaining a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the 2024 election.

The ministry is actively working to expand these initiatives and deepen SOCO’s reach to ensure that as many young people as possible have the support and guidance they need to build peace and stability within the Northern parts of Ghana.

With the focus on youth inclusion, SOCO is not only reducing vulnerability to extremism but is also investing in the long-term social cohesion and resilience of northern Ghana.

As the nation approaches a critical political period, the SOCO project’s initiatives are paving the way for a safer, more united future, one where the young people of northern Ghana are equipped to lead their communities with empathy, respect, and a shared vision for peace.