Much as the security and intelligence architectures of the state are doing their best to safeguard citizens from threat of terrorism, it is important to strengthen the country’s border security in order to prevent the terrorists from entering the country.
Having study the modus operandi of the terrorists, who look for weak and porous areas to operate, and with Ghana having so many unapproved roots at our various borders which can make it easy for terrorists to have their way into the country, through the northern enclave, which is very tricky due to rise in terrorists operations in Burkina Faso, in which Ghana shares border with at the north. It is important to deploy a strong interoperability security measures and critical collaborative proactive intelligence network among the two countries, and their other neighbouring countries to help tackle the common threat of terrorist attacks that have engulfed the sub – region.
It is also imperative to state on record that, though the Ministry of National Security is doing it best to help prevent any act of terrorism that may befall the country through the launch of Terrorism Awareness Campaign slogan ” if you see something, say something” with gospel musician Empress Gifty as the brand ambassador, which I have my reservation on her appointment.
In my candid perspective, the Ministry of National Security is not helping the general public by not informing and educating them about the actual type of threats of terrorism identified or anticipated by their outfit that Ghana seem to be faced, including its threats level at the district bases, regional bases and the nation at large, through their website, social media Platforms or their normal text massaging mechanism. This approach will help the general public to remain more alert of the danger which, the actual type of threats pose on them and to tell any suspicious activities to the state security agencies through an active phone number.
Let me also cease this opportunity to register my disappointment of the laziness approach of the Ministry of National Security for not being able to create its own Strategic Terrorism Awareness Campaign Slogan coupled with active contact number for citizens to reach up in any event of suspicious activities, but chose to copy the slogan proposed by executive Allen Kay from New York City which was used by the United States after their 9/11 terrorism attack, and adding to it an inactive (999) phone or contact number, which can be reach when citizens call.
Until the Ministry prove that, the type of terrorism threat, identified or anticipated to be faced by Ghana is the same as that of the United States, there is no point adopting a Plagiarized slogan which does not concur with the combating of Ghana’s type of terrorism threat. In the United Kingdom, for instance, the M15 created their own terrorism threat campaign awareness slogan, termed as (SCaN) meaning See, Check and Notify. In that, if you see anything check and Notify the security agencies.
Sign……………..
Anthony Acquaye ( MA in Security, KAIPTC)
Security Policy Expert at the Centre for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy
