Head of Programmes for Africa Centre for Security and Counter Terrorism, Mr. Emmanuel Kotin says Ghana’s Parliament interest in security matters in the country is poor as it is yet to call the security agencies in the country to brief the House on the safety measures of the country.
He explained that it is a bad practice for the institutions responsible for the safety of the country to wait till something happens in the neighbouring countries before our security agencies are called upon to discuss security matters.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Mr. Kotin insisted the Ivory Coast attack by the Islamic militants should empower the leaders to put necessary measures in place rather than always talking around the issues.
Though he urged Ghanaians not to panic about the happenings in the neighbouring countries, the security expert pinpointed that attack in Ghana is eminent based on the sequence of events that have happened in some parts of West Africa.
Indicating that nobody can predict an attack in Ghana, Mr. Emmanuel Kotin said the way out is to ask Ghanaians to play safe in their areas, without sitting and take it as business as usual because security is a shared and collaborative enterprise.
He therefore urged institutions like Parliament to take pragmatic measures to periodically meet with the security agencies to brief the House on security matters so that the Parliamentarians can carry the information back to the people they represent.
“You can only conscientise and sensitise your people...talking is different from putting the necessary measures in place to address some of these problems. Something shouldn’t happen in neighbouring countries before we call our security experts to a round table discussion, it should be a periodic exercise and that is the law,” he stated.
He wondered why Parliament is yet to call on the security agencies to look at the way forward, stressing that he does not remember the last time Parliament was briefed on security matters as an institution which represent people.
He again drew the attention of the security agencies to pay attention to international schools which have foreign and diplomat kids.
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com.gh/E-mail: [email protected]
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