Maryam Aminu
Ghana’s reputation as one of Africa’s most peaceful countries is facing a new test, with the country falling 38 places in the global peace ranking since 2021, according to the Universal Friendship Organization (UFO).
The organisation’s President, Samuel Adobah, raised the concern in a statement issued ahead of the World Peace Day celebration on 21st September 2026, warning that the trend should prompt renewed efforts to protect social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
Ghana had reached 38th position globally and second in Africa in 2021, after improving from 44th globally and sixth in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2016. Its GPI score in 2021 was 1.715.
But the country’s ranking has since moved in the opposite direction, falling to 40th globally in 2022, 51st in 2023, 55th in 2024, 61st in 2025 and 76th in 2026.
The 2026 Global Peace Index, produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace, placed Ghana 76th globally with a score of 1.943. The country ranked behind Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, The Gambia, Madagascar, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Senegal in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For the Universal Friendship Organization, the decline is more than a change in numbers on an international ranking. The group said it should serve as a warning at a time when economic pressure, social tensions and political activity are placing additional demands on the country’s peace and stability.
The organisation identified the high cost of living, youth unemployment and inequality among the economic pressures it believes are affecting peace, while also pointing to chieftaincy disputes, communal conflicts and discrimination against vulnerable groups.
It also expressed concern about political polarisation, intolerance and mistrust as Ghana prepares for its political season.
The organisation urged the government and political parties to put the country’s peace ahead of partisan interests, warning against hate speech, vote-buying and political rhetoric that could deepen divisions.
“Ghana’s peace is bigger than any political party, candidate, or personal ambition,” the organisation said.
It called on the government to invest more in youth employment, social justice and citizen safety, while urging political parties to embrace decent, issue-based campaigns.
Traditional and religious leaders, it said, should use their influence to promote dialogue and inclusion, while ordinary citizens should contribute through tolerance and peaceful interaction.
The appeal forms part of the organisation’s Peace Campaign Awareness ahead of World Peace Day, which will be marked on 21st September under the theme, “Invest in Peace for Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday.”
The Universal Friendship Organization said maintaining peace requires deliberate investment, stressing that preventing conflict is less costly than dealing with its consequences.
The group also called on Ghanaians to work towards restoring the country’s position among Africa’s most peaceful nations.
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