De-politicise appointment of security heads

Participants in a national security forum in Cape Coast have recommended that the appointment of security heads should not be based on political consideration.

That, they said, would promote the effective management of the country’s security agencies.

The forum also recommended a specific tenure for service chiefs and heads of security agencies to promote job security and efficient performance.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the close of the forum at the University of Cape Coast yesterday.

The two-day forum, which was on the theme: “Ghana’s Peace and Security 60 years on: Successes, Challenges and Prospects”, discussed the interface between security appointments and the constitutional provisions, security and gender and security institutions in Ghana and assets or liabilities.

Freedom to operate

The communiqué said security agencies should also be given the free hand (devoid of political manipulation) to operate to promote peace in the country.

It stressed that peace and security were essential for accelerated development.

It noted that the country faced security problems that could undermine its peace and stability.

Some of the security problems, it noted, were tribal and chieftaincy conflicts, illegal mining, mob justice, vigilantism and natural disasters.

According to the communiqué, issues such as corruption, underemployment and inequality further threatened human security.

Other concerns

The communiqué also raised concerns about the unlawful presence of foreign nationals in the country, the absence of a national identification system and inadequate budgetary and resource allocations to security agencies as some issues that threatened the nation’s security.