The Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has welcomed the reorganisation of the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), urging the new leadership to place greater emphasis on emerging threats to Ghana’s national security.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adib Saani, the Centre congratulated the newly appointed officials, including Maj. Gen. William Ayamdo (Rtd.), who has been appointed Deputy National Security Coordinator responsible for Operations.
The Centre said the restructuring provides an opportunity to strengthen intelligence coordination, operational effectiveness, accountability and the preventive orientation of Ghana’s national security architecture.
It identified violent extremism and the potential spillover of terrorist activities from the Sahel as one of the most urgent priorities for the new leadership.
According to the Centre, developments in Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region require sustained intelligence gathering, stronger border surveillance and increased regional intelligence cooperation.
It also called for greater investment in the resilience of vulnerable communities in northern Ghana, which it said could help strengthen the country’s response to security threats originating from the region.
The Jatikay Centre further highlighted chieftaincy, land and communal disputes as significant internal security risks.
It noted that Ghana has hundreds of unresolved chieftaincy, land and ethnic disputes, with several classified as high-risk conflicts capable of destabilising communities.
The Centre also urged the new NSCS leadership to pay greater attention to organised crime, illicit financial flows, money laundering, illegal gold trading and cross-border criminal networks.
It said although these activities may appear primarily economic, their proceeds could contribute to corruption, sustain organised criminal groups and support other activities capable of destabilising the country.
The Centre said the success of the NSCS reorganisation should ultimately be measured not only by changes in personnel but also by the Secretariat’s ability to anticipate threats before they escalate, disrupt organised criminal networks, improve intelligence coordination and protect citizens while respecting the rule of law and human rights.
The Jatikay Centre said it remains ready to contribute its research, expertise and civil-society perspectives towards strengthening Ghana’s human and national security.
