Security To Protect Oil
THE GHANA Security Sector Governance and Management Course Six programme which was organized for security personnel and other government agencies has ended in Accra with a call on the state to provide adequate resources towards the protection of the country's oil zone.
The three-week programme was attended by thirty participants drawn from the various security agencies and some ministries, the Judicial Service, Narcotics Board, NADMO, GJA, CHRAJ, the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), some Members of Parliament and many others.
It was on the theme; “Ghana's Oil Endowment: Identifying and Addressing its Security and Defence Dimensions and Implications”.
Presentation by Mrs. Philomina Sackar, a member of 'Syndicate Three', indicated that the call had been very crucial due to the enormous challenges confronting the various security agencies in their bid to protect the country's rich natural resources.
According to the group, oil production should not be the sole preserve of the country's development agenda. The government ought to create other avenues for employment with a comprehensive master plan for development.
This, it noted, would take into account all sectors by harmonizing efforts to maximize revenue and integrate roles for the entire well-being of the nation.
In addition, the group said that there was need for defining a national interest, which would be geared towards a holistic national security sector.
In his closing remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj. Gen. Peter A. Blay, said he had no doubt about the course objectives and its content, adding that, “It is an important package in our effort at security sector reforms and truly making security sector governance and management everybody's business.
“I am however disheartened to learn that some ministries, departments and agencies, which were allocated vacancies, did not utilize them despite several reminders. My prayer is that this will not happen during the next course, scheduled for the first quarter of next year”, he expressed.
Even as senior managers and security personnel, Maj. Gen. Blay observed that, “There were still a lot of things we do not know about security sector governance and management.
This is the more reason why we cannot afford to adopt a lukewarm attitude to this programme, considering the ever increasing challenges of security locally in the region and the global environment”.
He noted that government's commitment to transparency and openness had further provided direction and impetus to continue to financially support the course with facilitation from the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), the Legon Centre for International Affairs, GIMPA and the African Security Dialogue and Research.