PRESIDENT MAHAMA’S NATIONAL SECURITY LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS

The Institute for Intelligence and Strategic Security (IISS) commends His Excellency President John MAHAMA for swiftly constituting his national security team, first the interim National Security Co-ordinating Committee appointed for the transition period, and the subsequent appointment of substantive National Security Advisor, National Security Co-ordinator, Director-General Bureau of National Intelligence, Director Security Operations at the Presidency and ministers for Defence, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Attorney General.

2. IISS, in its preliminary assessment of the appointments applauds the President for recognizing the need for high level expertise, experience and competence for the management of national security, and in particular the re-instatement of time-tested established standards in appointment of officials for national security management.
3. The Institute assesses the team as solid and professional and meets the technical and professional requirements needed to manage Ghana’s national security. IISS however, observes that the appointment of a serving police officer as National Security Co-ordinator while the officer remains in service of the police which is under the command and control of the Inspector-General of Police is an anomaly, in view of Ghana’s unified national security hierarchical and command structure which is a critical feature of Ghana’s national security architecture. IISS views this development as having potential to undermine effective coordination and operational efforts, especially bothering on matters relating to power balance, influence and authority relative to the Office of National Security Coordinator in maintaining and promoting a unified national security command structure and therefore recommends the retirement of the officer from the police service.
4. It is the expectation of IISS that the new national security management team would demonstrate high level of responsibility, commitment and dedication to the national interest, by promoting and enhancing national security and stability of Ghana rather than pursuing regime security, historically characterized by political suppression and human rights abuses. Given the current security threats facing the country including conflicts, environmental and health threats, food security threats, violent crime, cyber threats and regional threat of terrorism and cross-border crimes, intelligence gathering capability should be enhanced and security agencies resourced and empowered to respond to these threats in a timely and efficient manner.
5. While, it is commendable the swift response by the new National Security Coordinator to the renewed conflict in NKWANTA in the OTI REGION, to assess the situation and assure the people of government’s responsibility to maintain peace in the area, the Institute urges the Coordinator to adopt a non-militarized, conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm approach to dealing with the myriad of conflicts across the country, including BAWKU and increasing conflicts in the mining areas, taking into consideration underlying root causes and complex factors fueling these conflicts and re-evaluation of the effectiveness of kinetic strategies adopted to address conflicts in the country over time.
6. It is the expectation of IISS that the National Security Coordinator, as Head of the Intelligence Community (IC) and Principal Advisor to the President, National Security Council, Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector General of Police and all government agencies and departments on matters of national security would prioritize legal and structural reforms to refine the National Security Council Secretariat into a highly technical and professional center for national intelligence, with a more unified, effective and efficient IC capable of supplying required intelligence in a timely and effective manner to enhance national security.
7. The proposed review of the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030) should provide for a harmonized human resource and recruitment and staffing policy for attracting the needed skills and manpower for the effective performance of the functions of the Office set out in Section 21 of the Act, in pursuance of Article 84 of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution. Recommendations of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission and Ejura Shooting Incident Committee should be rigorously implemented as part of the national security intelligence sector reforms, in particular matters touching on the demilitarization of the National Security Council Secretariat. Re-instating and enhancing time-tested recruitment standards and processes into the intelligence services (Bureau of National Intelligence, Research Bureau and quasi-intelligence outfits) should be pursued to eliminate the practice of infiltration of the intelligence system by political elements and regime operatives, a development that undermines professionalism and integrity of the intelligence system.
8. IIISS further urges that stringent recruitment and appointment procedures for staff to the Office of National Security Coordinator pursuant to Section 23 of Act 1030 be instituted to eliminate the practice of employing party loyalists to perform parallel law enforcement functions which the established security agencies are constitutionally mandated to perform. The NSCS must be staffed with persons with highly specialized and technical skills including specialists and subject matter experts in intelligence, forensics, analysis and key areas of critical need for the office rather than employing persons for basic law enforcement functions. Clear procedures and protocols for secondment of personnel of the established security agencies should be developed and implemented, but coordination of the work of the security agencies should be a major focus rather than directly undertaking of enforcement actions.
9. The Institute also notes with high commendation, the new government’s prioritization of addressing and strengthening regional security and stability in view of current security and political security challenges in the Sahel area, and the challenges facing the regional bloc ECOWAS’ ability to maintain effective regional cohesion and integration among member states and enhanced stability of the bloc, in particular relating to the Sahelian security and political crisis. The appointment of a Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahelian States (ASS) comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger demonstrates the government’s commitment to promoting regional cohesion given the planned exit of the ASS from ECOWAS, and its potential impact on ECOWAS in promoting regional integration, harmony and stability, in particular on Ghana, in view of the relationship between Ghana and the ASS in the area of trade and security. IISS urges the government to employ all diplomatic means to ensure the return of ASS members to ECOWAS, while recognizing the peculiar needs and aspirations of the citizens of these countries and sovereign will of these countries in promoting good governance, economic development and prosperity for their citizens.
10. The Institute, as first-ever professional, non-partisan and independent security think-tank in Ghana specialized in national security intelligence, remains committed to upholding high ethical and professional standards in intelligence and national security. As a specialized organization in the national security domain, the Institute is dedicated to promoting professionalism and professionalization within the field of intelligence and national security, and regularly conducts assessments and offers policy recommendations and advisories to governments for improvement in the management of national security and professional functioning of the intelligence community,
11. IISS reiterates its commitment to upholding professionalism in the conduct of national security intelligence and continues to work with similar organizations and stakeholders in promoting national security and international peace and stability.

Issued 22 January 2025.

Directorate

Accra

END

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