Defence Ministry takes turn at Meet-the-Press series
The National Defence Policy is being reviewed to position Ghana against any internal or external threat.
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According to the Minister of Defence, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, the revision of the policy has been necessitated by the challenging and changing faces of security threats, especially the increasing rate of terrorist activities, corruption, crime and drug trafficking in the West African sub-region.
Taking his turn at the Meet-the-Press series in Accra yesterday, Dr Kunbuor said the policy would also provide new guidelines for the management of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to achieve effectiveness at all levels.
He said the growth of the global inter-connectedness which encouraged free trade routes, the rapid distribution and use of advanced technology and information technology had opened up the trade borders for potential external threat.
“This is very important, following the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities in Ghana. It is envisaged that the provision of this document would assist in the development of strategies for effective protection of our Oil and Gas Industry and other natural resources,” he said.
Election 2016
On the December general election, Dr Kunbuor said the ministry had begun the process of assessing the possible threats to its conduct.
That, he said, would determine the measures the Defence Ministry would put in place in preparation towards the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Dr Kunbuor added that while the Defence Ministry was willing, ready and prepared to partner with the Ghana Police Service to ensure peaceful elections, there was the need to first “assess the nature of threat in the country, because every election is different”.
Touching on terrorism, he said following the recent attacks by terrorists in Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, the Defence Ministry had launched a joint land and air operation to sensitise Ghanaian troops to the menace of terrorism.
“We have also increased surveillance and information gathering by air and land, shown presence in crowded areas and given confidence to the civilian population to enable them to go about their day-to-day activities in peace,” Dr Kunbuor added.
GAF expansion projects
He said the ministry was in the process of securing funds to undertake projects that would boost the operations of the GAF.
He said some of the projects were the construction of a flying training school in Tamale, the construction of forward operating base in the Western Region and the acquisition of military equipment.
On the acquisition of military equipment, he explained that the project involved the supply of armoured personnel carriers and other major equipment for the Ghana Army as part of its restructuring programme.
Bad lots in GAF
Answering questions on the recent case of the two soldiers who maltreated a boy in Tamale, Dr Kunbuor condemned the attack and said the action of the two soldiers did not reflect the image of the profession.
“We should not focus so much on the actions of these few officers, but pay critical attention to the activities and operations of the entire profession,” he urged.
Dr Kunbuor said drastic measures were being put in place to ensure that no civilian was assaulted for no offence committed.