Upgrade knowledge in peace, security - Dr Kunbour
Security operatives, policy makers and other stakeholders in the security sector have been urged to continue to upgrade their knowledge and skills in peace and security in order to be able to deal with the complexities and dynamics of modern security threats.
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The Minister of Defence, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, who said this, noted that that would require massive investment in higher education, research and proactive use of modern information and communications technology (ICT) to respond appropriately to the risk and threats of terrorism and violent extremism.
He was speaking at a joint graduation ceremony for 89 students who pursued master’s degrees in Conflict and Security at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra yesterday.
The event was graced by notable personalities, including the Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr Emmanuel Bombande, a former Minister of Defence, Dr Addo Kufuor, and other security and political figures.
KAIPTC commended
Dr Kunbour commended the management of KAIPTC for the initiative to start the specialised courses in security, saying that the benefits of the skills acquired by personnel at the centre were brought to bear during the December 7 election.
“The pivotal role played by the KAIPTC in ensuring peace and security in the country during the election was due to the high knowledge the centre had provided in peace and security.”
“The KAIPTC was used as a platform for training of stakeholders in election security and for hosting national dialogues on maintaining peace before and after the election,” he added.
Courses relevant
The Commandant of the KAIPTC, Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Griffiths Evans Santrofi, explained that the courses had been designed with the aim to build the capacity of stakeholders to be abreast of the dynamics in conflict prevention, peace building and security management.
“The one-year tutelage in the various aspects of security for the students helps to acquire and apply skills to address the security challenges facing the country, the continent and the world at large,” he stated.
He further stressed the need for all those who went through the courses to put to use the skills they had acquired in a manner that would benefit society.
Recommendation
For her part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West, Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, who graduated with an EMCPS at the KAIPTC last year, underscored the need for all policy makers, ministers and heads of state agencies to participate in the course.
She said in-depth knowledge about conflict and security issues would enable those officials to deliver efficiently and prevent conflicts in their organisations or agencies.
