The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer has highlighted some factors that threaten Ghana's peace, security, and democracy and the West African sub-region. 

Her Excellency Virginia Palmer acknowledged that discrimination against minority groups can be detrimental to Ghana's economic and social stability.

She explained that discrimination against minority groups will rather expose them to being recruited by violent extremist groups, thereby threatening the peace and security of the country and the West African sub-region. 

She also identified the issue of corruption as one of the factors accounting to Ghana's economic dwarfism.
 
Speaking at a forum organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the decline of democracy in West Africa on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Ambassador Palmer urged Ghanaians and other West Africans to be tolerant towards the minority groups in the society. 

She also called for the protection of the ideals of democracy as Ghana and the US head into crucial election later this year. 

She said, '' Discrimination against minority groups causes grievances which then make these groups vulnerable of being required by violent extremists for example, and then creates a downward spiral security''. 

''Corruption also undermines the institutions that protect security and again creates a violent but often, but vicious downward spiral. When a democratic government fails to live up to expectations, the solution is more democracy not less''