The CID Headquarters in Accra is in danger as the state security apparatus looks on for a Lebanese Company Japan Motors group of companies owned by the Kalmoni family, put up a 14-storey building to overlook the CID Headquarters.
The question one may ask is, are they putting up this Skyrise building at the blind side of the Ghana Government or has someone pocketed money at the expense of the safety of the citizens?
Dr. George Akuffo Dampare is doing a very good job as the Inspector General of Police together with a beautification Project that has given the Police Headquarters and the CID Headquarters a modern look both interior and exterior. But he looks asleep on the job since that is his usual root to his Office.
The national security infrastructure like the CID Headquarters like others plays a crucial role in maintaining the sovereignty and security of a state. This infrastructure encompasses a vast array of facilities, including command centers, intelligence offices, cyber security hubs, military installations, and other sensitive sites that are central to a country’s defense and intelligence operations. Apart from very popular buildings like presidential villas and security ministries and departments all over the world, that are well-protected, many other structures equally have more sensitive structures. For example, the FBI headquarters is among the most sensitive buildings in the United States. Also, buildings housing any of the United Kingdom’s intelligence agencies are as important as the No. 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives and works. There are some of the fundamental aspects of national security infrastructure and the importance of maintaining their exclusivity. Hence, my difficulty with this breach by Japan Motors.
National security buildings are often strategically placed based on their function. For example, command centers may be in areas that are less prone to attacks or natural disasters. Access to these areas is severely restricted, with multiple levels of security checks, often including biometric authentication, security barriers, and escorted access for visitors.
These buildings are designed with robustness in mind to withstand a variety of threats ranging from physical attacks to natural calamities. Enhanced structural measures like reinforced walls, blast-resistant materials, and secure communication lines are standard features.
A clear perimeter often surrounds national security structures, serving as a buffer zone.This helps in controlling surveillance opportunities from adjacent buildings. Restrictions on airspace above and near sensitive installations prevent unauthorized surveillance or attacks from the air.
Urban planning plays a crucial role in ensuring that new developments do not encroach on security infrastructure, maintaining the necessary exclusivity. Developments near national security sites undergo rigorous vetting processes to evaluate potential security implications over time. Our checks revealed that under John Dramani Mahama’s administration, his former National Security Advisor stopped Japan Motors from putting up the structure because the building and design were not fit to be built directly opposite the CID Headquarters. But as things stand now, it looks like other security Capos in the country are not seeing the danger it poses.
The question I ask is, can a Ghanaian company or an individual in Lebanon do this and go Scot-free? This project by Kalmoni & Sons must be stopped immediately. The government of Ghana must stop the project without delay and prosecute the people who gave them a permit to start the project. They cannot destroy the security architecture of this country. It’s imperative that such close skyscrapers cannot be built around the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for security reasons.
So it’s important we take a look at such structures overlooking the CID Headquarters.
This edifice is a recipe for disaster if it is put to use. The national security should act now and not later.
By: Maxwell Okamafo Addo
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