By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R), Aug. 10, GNA – Mr Abib Saani, a security expert, has urged the newly appointed Minister of Defence, Mr Gilbert Kenneth Adjei, to deepen Ghana’s security cooperation with neighbouring countries to prevent terrorist groups and violent extremist networks from gaining a foothold in the country.
He said the Minister’s experience in the security sector and leadership capabilities positioned him to provide strategic direction to the Defence Ministry at a time when terrorism, violent extremism and transnational security threats continued to pose concerns to countries within the West African sub-region.
Mr Saani made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the priorities he expected the new Defence Minister to pursue.
He said Ghana needed to strengthen intelligence-sharing, border surveillance and joint security operations with neighbouring countries and other regional partners to identify and contain emerging threats before they escalated.
Mr Saani described Mr Adjei as a person with considerable experience and leadership skills and expressed confidence in his ability to effectively lead the Defence Ministry and contribute to strengthening the country’s defence architecture.
He cautioned, however, that Ghana could not afford to be complacent about its security, particularly in view of instability and violent extremism in some parts of the West African region.
He therefore called for enhanced collaboration between Ghana and its sub-regional partners, particularly through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to strengthen preventive security measures and improve the country’s preparedness against emerging threats.
Mr Saani also urged the Government to provide the Ghana Armed Forces with modern equipment, technology and adequate logistical support to enable them to effectively protect the country’s territorial integrity across the land, maritime and air domains.
He said strengthening the operational capacity of the Armed Forces was critical to effective border protection, intelligence-led operations and rapid response to security threats.
According to him, instability, violent extremism and weak border controls in parts of the sub-region could create opportunities for terrorist groups to expand their activities and potentially infiltrate neighbouring countries.
He urged the Defence Minister to prioritise intelligence gathering and sharing, border security, inter-agency coordination and closer cooperation with security institutions across the sub-region.
“Ghana must continue to work closely with its sub-regional partners to ensure that terrorist groups do not find a foothold in the country,” he said.
Mr Saani said Ghana’s relative peace and stability should not be taken for granted, stressing the need for sustained investment in national security and proactive measures to prevent terrorism and violent extremism.
He said recent security developments in parts of Africa underscored the importance of strengthening national preparedness, institutional resilience and regional cooperation to address evolving security threats.
Mr Saani further noted that Mr Adjei’s experience in the security sector could be valuable in addressing Ghana’s emerging national security needs, but stressed that effective leadership must be complemented by adequate resources, modern technology and sustained institutional support.
He urged the Government to continue investing in the Ghana Armed Forces to enhance their capacity to protect the country’s borders, safeguard national assets and preserve Ghana’s peace and stability.
Mr Saani said Mr Adjei’s appointment presented an opportunity to further strengthen Ghana’s defence and security architecture while deepening cooperation with regional and international security partners.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu
