To state that the national security apparatus of a country is critical in the maintenance of the sovereignty of the nation is an understatement.
In the context of Ghana where terrorists are active next-door, the need to be on constant alert cannot be overlooked, more so when most people do not understand or even appreciate this subject.
Some years back, a national security policy document was put together as a blueprint to guide us in managing this important aspect of state management.
Managing the national security of a country is a complex matter. Unfortunately, the subject has over the years been politicised to the disadvantage of the nation’s interest.
The reason for the foregone is not far-fetched, the impression has been erroneously created over the years that the National Security Secretariat is turf for party foot-soldiers who struggled in the trenches to bring political parties to power.
When their parties come to power, these characters whose preference is to work at the National Security Secretariat as operatives, quickly rush to the place for employment.
We have therefore over the years had the National Security Secretariat crammed with party foot-soldiers who relish holding walkie-talkies and announcing their presence wherever the opportunity arises about their occupation. They understand next to nothing about what national security is all about let alone conduct themselves with decorum.
Some of them have terrorised political opponents in some parts of the country, as their godfathers now holding political appointments look on.
They have ended up making enemies for themselves among the population and the security services because some of them try to interfere in the work of these service personnel.
Last weekend, the National Security Secretariat organised a workshop for the media, the objective of which engagement is to partner journalists to advance the cause of the nation’s security.
Whoever advised the National Security Coordinator on the need for the engagement did well. It is for us an important step towards giving a necessary facelift to a critical hub for the coordination of national security.
The national security policy of the country cannot be implemented without an effective coordination of the various security agencies, who should understand what they are about anyway.
The National Security Secretariat should not consider itself as a Gestapo organisation and therefore operating by abduction of persons considered hostile to government. This only give them a bad image they would struggle hard to wean themselves from.
Towns and settlements on our frontiers must be engaged and educated about the importance of national security, especially in the face of terrorist threats across our borders.
Partnership with the media can only be productive when managers of the National Security Secretariat do not allow themselves to be manipulated by politicians who put them there to settle scores. Kudos though for organising the programme.