A political scientist, Dr Vladimir Antwi – Danso, has proposed a forum on the tenure of office of senior national security officers, arguing that for them to have political neutrality, their tenure should not easily be manipulated by the appointing authority.
Dr Antwi-Danso, Senior Research Fellow at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy, University of Ghana, explained that security portfolios such as the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Inspector General of Police were very sensitive and should be devoid of politics.
He observed that making the tenure of office of such high-profile security officers coterminous with the appointing President’s tenure made it political, hence the national forum to decide whether to maintain the status quo or not.
Dr Antwi-Danso made the proposal at the weekend in Accra in an interview with Ghana News Agency on the sideline of a book launch, authored by Major-General Francis Adu-Amanfoh, entitled: “The Role of Peace and Security, Political Leadership in the Socio-Economic Development of Emerging Countries: A Coniedian of Lessons Learnt from Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The research fellow said politicisation of the security forces was not in the national interest and must be avoided.
Dr Antwi-Danso said for the nation to flourish, the issue of national security, peace, good governance and entrepreneurship must be upheld at all times, adding: “when any one of them suffers a setback, there can be no meaningful development.”
He cautioned that as a nation, “we must not allow the issue of tribalism and nepotism to raise its ugly head in our body politics.”
He called for the transformation of the National Development Planning Commission into a non-partisan institution made up of only technocrats to plan the nation’s development agenda.
Dr Antwi-Danso observed that appointment of political office holders should be linked to previous experience in the area of placement, stating that there should be no more putting of square pegs into round holes.