Government has been encouraged to commit enough resources to help implement the recently launched ‘Ghana National Security Strategy’. This will transform the document from just text to a rather pragmatic approach to dealing with the many security challenges the country faces.
Security Analyst, Adib Saani said the adoption of the strategy will be moot if government fails to invest funds to activate the ideas contained in the strategy. Mr. Saani espoused this suggestion when he spoke to A1 Radio ahead of government’s 2022 budget reading. The 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy is expected to be read in Parliament on the 17th of November 2021
“The strategy goes beyond text on document. It has to find footing on the ground through implementation by different actors. That can only be possible if they have the necessary resources and that will require some level of financial commitment,” he explained.
President Akufo-Addo launched Ghana’s first National Security Strategy Document in June this year. The president said the document will serve as the overarching guide for Ghana’s security agencies and their operations adding that it will help to better secure the country and guarantee the safety of citizens. Processes for the development of the national security strategy document commenced in 2017 with inputs from various stakeholders including Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies, Civil Society Organizations, and security experts.
Mr. Saani said the implementation of the strategy is essential as Ghana has over the years implemented ad-hoc measures to address security concerns. “Armed robbers attack a police officer in front of Las Palmas, Lapaz, and kill him before we start thinking about bullet-proof vests for officers on duty. Armed robbers attack a police officer at a traffic intersection, then, we now start talking about arming officers. These things should be pre-planned and well-executed. That can only be possible through a national security strategy. We do not have to address issues as and when they happen,” he argued.
Mr. Saani also urged government to commit resources to address what he described as “human insecurities”. He reminded government that some Ghanaians live on less than a dollar a day while others do not have jobs. He said if government commits enough resources to addressing these problems, the country’s security situation would be better. He called on government to reactivate the Human Security Desk at the National Security Secretariat.
The Security Analyst called on government to ensure the retraining of security personnel at least once a year as crime continues to morph as technology improves and times change.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
