The Laadi Centre for Peace Building and Security Analysis (LACPSA-GHANA) has observed the growing intolerance within Ghana’s security space.
We are therefore calling on all stakeholders within this space to join hands to end this unacceptable culture.
While we sincerely acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our security services in their line of duty — being awake while we go to bed, being alert while we go about our duties at home and workplaces, being proactive as we transact our daily business — we will always draw their attention when they act in ways that are unacceptable and contrary to standard operating procedures.
The timely intervention of the National Security Office in most cases, including last week’s scuffle, contained what could have been a catastrophic scene.
Let’s support our national security to do more, and let’s encourage the leadership of our security agencies to continue to preach nonviolence, brotherhood, and coexistence with each other in times of duty, etc., because they have one objective, which is peace, security, and tranquility for the Republic of Ghana, and more.
We recall the scuffles between some members of the Ghana Police Service and their military counterparts in the national capital/business district, which were inappropriate and left the public wondering.
Fast forward to April 24, 2024, it’s the story of some military officers and the Ghana Prison Service in Bawku on violent encounters.
We are not sure if this will be the last time such an unfortunate encounter will occur, and we can’t wait to ask what went on belatedly. We might have recorded incident-free encounters, but no one can be certain about the outcome/implications of any future occurrence.
LACPSA-GHANA is, therefore, calling on all stakeholders within the security sector to halt these developing trends in our country’s security services. We frown upon the growing culture of superiority of service within the security sector.
As much as we know, any officer in uniform has a unique role to play in our peace and security process, and this makes each security unit very relevant in our constitutional republic.
Therefore, we refuse to accept any impression that some security unit/units are superior or inferior. To the best of LACPSA-GHANA and Ghanaians, a superior security unit is one that has demonstrated the ability in its role and service to the country and citizenry, not muscles to intimidate other security agencies.
Why must we fight each other when the common enemy is walking around and within us? Why must we fight each other when we often go on joint operations? Why must we fight each other when we all serve the same authority and public? Why must we fight each other when we share values?
We expect nothing less than unity, tolerance for divergent views, cooperation, and brotherhood within and among the sister security units. This strange violent culture must stop immediately because it’s not in the interest of command and control, leadership, the people, or the republic.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
LACPSA-GHANA recommends that non-violence training be intensified in the training schools to equip and increase their tolerance level for each other’s units.
We call on the leadership of these various security institutions to organize refresher programs for their security units to instill strong resilience in times like these.
We encourage the various commands to take steps to weed out these tendencies by instituting stiffer sanctions, including demotions, interdictions, and dismissals, because the consequences of unacceptable practices like these are regrettable.
At LACPSA-GHANA, we encourage the various security organizations to discourage violence and investigate the same when they occur and sanction appropriately. If they don’t do these, we wouldn’t be setting a good example for the citizenry to follow.
Also, we encourage the command and control to detect this foreign behavior and weed them out of our system because they are aliens to our institutions. We need to take a serious view of these developments so that they don’t poison the minds of other peaceful men and women of our noble security services.
Let’s support the National Security in fixing these challenges. Let’s end the culture of violence at all levels. A joint communiqué by the various security units to denounce violence within them will be better than just an apology to the Ghanaian public.
Writer: Akunkel Musah (Analyst: Peace, Security & Climate Change)