Kwabena Adu Koranteng Writes
Ghana’s sharp fall in the 2025 Global Peace Index is more than a ranking—it is a wake-up call. Once proudly counted among the top five most peaceful nations in Africa, Ghana has now slipped to seventh on the continent and 61st globally. For a country that has long been regarded as West Africa’s beacon of democracy and stability, this decline should trouble us all.
Peace is not a trophy to be won and displayed. It is a living, breathing reality that must be nurtured every day. Ghana’s proud history of peaceful transfers of power and tolerance across ethnic and religious lines was built on decades of effort. But the cracks are showing: violent crime is rising, political rhetoric has grown sharper, and unemployment continues to fuel frustration among the youth. These are not abstract figures—they are realities felt by ordinary Ghanaians who now think twice before walking home at night, or who fear that elections may ignite tensions rather than unite us.
History warns us that complacency is dangerous. In 2019, Ghana ranked 44th globally and led West Africa as the region’s most peaceful nation. By 2021, it had climbed even higher, to 38th place. But the years since have seen steady decline: 51st in 2023, and now 61st. This is not simply statistical noise. It is a trend—and trends, if ignored, harden into realities.
The government must not dismiss this report as a foreign assessment with little relevance. Nor should citizens treat peace as an entitlement. The responsibility lies with all of us—leaders who must prioritize security over partisanship, law enforcement agencies who must earn public trust, and citizens who must resist the politics of division.
Ghana stands at a crossroads. The peace that once set us apart in a turbulent region is faltering. If we take bold steps now—strengthening justice, protecting livelihoods, and bridging political divides—we can reverse this decline. If we do not, the fall will continue, and the cost will be measured not in rankings, but in lives.
