“National Security will now allow the various security agencies to operate directly on the ground" — National Security Coordinator

National Security Coordinator DCOP Osman Abdul-Razak has issued a stern rebuke to personnel under his command, denouncing recent instances of misconduct as deeply troubling and harmful to the reputation of the National Security Secretariat.

Addressing members of the National House of Chiefs on Friday, August 1, DCOP Abdul-Razak did not mince words as he criticised the behaviour of certain operatives involved in activities outside their professional mandate.

“It is very disgraceful the way sometimes our boys are found behaving in strange ways,” he said, adding that such conduct erodes public trust and compromises the integrity of national security operations.

In response to these concerns, the Secretariat is undergoing a significant structural overhaul. DCOP Abdul-Razak announced a complete shift in how National Security engages in field operations, revealing that the agency will now step back from direct deployments and instead take on a strategic oversight role.

“We have changed our modus operandi,” he declared. “The National Security will now allow the various security agencies to operate directly on the ground and will only intervene when challenges arise.”

This change, he explained, aligns with the government’s broader “reset agenda,” which seeks to restore discipline, strengthen coordination, and define clear operational boundaries within Ghana’s security infrastructure.

He noted that past practices often saw National Security operatives engaging in duties designated for other agencies, a situation he described as improper and counterproductive.

“Previously, you would find National Security involved in operations meant for other security agencies. That is wrong,” he emphasised. “National Security, as it is properly known, should coordinate, not take over. We are at the top of the security architecture and should act as such.”

The new policy, he added, is designed to reduce jurisdictional conflicts, improve operational effectiveness, and reinforce the Secretariat’s core role as a coordinating and intelligence-gathering body—not a frontline enforcement agency.

By ceding ground-level operations to the police, immigration, and prison services, DCOP Abdul-Razak said the Secretariat aims to ensure accountability while fostering a more professional and integrated security ecosystem.

His remarks come amid growing public scrutiny of the conduct of National Security operatives, with calls for reforms to ensure greater transparency and respect for civil liberties. The Coordinator’s address signals a decisive move to address these concerns and reestablish the Secretariat’s rightful place at the apex of Ghana’s security command structure.