The Ministry for National Security has on Thursday 13 January 2022 sensitised the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on the National Security Strategy document at the Naval Headquarters in Burma camp, Accra.
The document which was launched in June 2021 by the President and Commander-in-Chief of GAF, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is to enable stakeholders in the security sphere to deal effectively with existing and emerging threats to the country. It is also in line with the nationally devised path towards a proactive and inclusive coordinated response to internal and external security and stability challenges.
The Minister for National Security, Hon Albert Kan-Dapaah in his remarks said the vision of the strategy is to maintain Ghana as a peaceful, tolerant, socially cohesive, secure and prosperous constitutional democracy.
He added that it consolidates all the policy initiatives on National Security Policy Framework with the ultimate goal to mobilise and coordinate the efforts of all sectors of the society, especially GAF to deal with security threats in the country.
The Minister said armed robbery, chieftaincy disputes, piracy, terrorist activities outside the country; threats of secession by certain groups and unemployment were on top of the list of security challenges bedeviling the country and therefore urged GAF to put its outmost best to curb the challenges. He reiterated government’s commitment to retooling GAF to deal with the challenges and promote security in the country.
Speaking at the workshop, the Minister for Defence, Hon Dominic Nitiwul highlighted that the security sectors of Africa continue to face several facets of domestic challenges, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and gradual recession. He said the country was faced with two major external issues; the Jihadist
Movement and terrorist activities in the Northern part of Ghana and piracy at the Gulf of Guinea. The Minister stated that there was a pressing need to develop effective National Security Strategies.
He continued that combating these threats required real-time and national security policy with clear directions to resolve them. He was optimistic that the workshop would support Officers of GAF in the effective management of security, especially at the borders across the country by way of curbing criminal and rebellious activities.
According to Hon Nitiwul, the National Security Strategy, when implemented will also optimise the effectiveness of the security and intelligence sector by improving the current system and structures.
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama in his remarks said GAF remains the key national asset within the National Security landscape which is well positioned to play significant roles in achieving the security and defence objectives of the strategy.
He added that GAF is an important pillar for promoting regional, continental and global interest using security and defence diplomacy.
The CDS assured that GAF is poised to carry out its mandate effectively as outlined in the National Security Strategy. The Service Chiefs, National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Maj Gen Emmanuel Kotia and other Senior Officers were in attendance.
Source: 3news.com
