General News of Friday, 2 July 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2021-07-02
Security Analyst, Adib Saani
Security Analyst, Adib Saani has recommended for government to establish an independent body to investigate complaints made against security services.
According to him, this would be urgent to restore some level of public confidence in the service following the incidents of recently reported malpractices in the country.
“There is no doubt of a growing public resentment in the security services with some describing especially the police as an offshoot of the ruling government rather than an institution serving the public interest.”
“These perceptions have negative consequences on security/civil relations. The public could reject and become uncooperative. This would make fulfilling the mandate of the security agencies much more complicated,” Adib Saani said in a statement sighted by GhanaWeb.
Adib Saani however believes the independent body which would be instituted must be made up of experts from different backgrounds who will work independent of the security services and devoid of politics.
On Thursday, July 1, 2021, some military personnel were caught on camera meting out physical abuse on residents at Wa in the Northern region over an alleged missing phone.
The Ghana Armed Forces on their part disclosed its intent to institute an internal disciplinary measure to deal with the soldiers who were involved in brutalising Wa residents over a missing mobile phone.
In a statement signed by Colonel E. Aggrey-Quashie, Director of Public Relations, the GAF condemned the acts by the soldiers and stated that “such unprofessional conduct by the military will not be condoned by any member of the force.”
The statement explained further that, “[the] unprofessional conduct took place on Thursday, 1 July 2021 and at a time when the Commanding Officer of the soldiers and the Chairman of the Regional Security Council were both out of town on official engagements.
“Internal disciplinary measures have been instituted to deal with all those who will be found culpable in this unprofessional conduct by the soldiers,” the statement read.