The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has begun consultations with stakeholders in the Upper East Region to identify emerging security threats and gather recommendations to address them as part of the review of the country's 2020 National Security Strategy.
The consultations are expected to inform the revised national security framework by incorporating local experiences and concerns, particularly emerging threats that require coordinated responses from government institutions, security agencies and communities.
The engagement, held in Bolgatanga last Monday, brought together security and intelligence officials, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, political parties, organised labour, academics, youth groups, students and media practitioners to share their perspectives on the region's security challenges.
Addressing the participants, the Technical Aide to the National Security Coordinator, Dr Mohammed Dako, said the consultation was intended to obtain region-specific perspectives to make the proposed strategy more inclusive and responsive to the security needs of the country.
He said although the draft strategy was being developed at the national level, it was important to incorporate the realities of communities and regions to ensure that the document addressed the threats confronting them.
Dr Dako, who represented the National Security Coordinator, said the consultation would enable stakeholders to identify security concerns that might have been overlooked in the draft and propose practical measures to address them.
Human-centred security
He explained that the proposed strategy represented a significant shift from the traditional space-centric approach to a human-centred security framework, which recognised the importance of the well-being and active participation of citizens in maintaining national security.
He said the new approach would adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society framework, requiring collaboration among state institutions, security agencies, traditional authorities, civil society organisations and local communities.
He said the approach was intended to strengthen collective responsibility for security and ensure that national security interventions addressed the concerns of the people.
Dr Dako further underscored the strategic importance of the Upper East Region to Ghana's national security, citing its geographical location and proximity to Burkina Faso and Togo.
He said the region's position made it particularly important to the country's security architecture, beyond the internal security threats confronting its communities.
He, therefore, urged participants to identify specific security threats in the region and recommend measures that should be incorporated into the revised strategy.
Emerging security threats
The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, in a speech delivered on his behalf, said the review of the strategy presented an opportunity to assess the implementation of the existing framework, examine emerging threats and develop practical recommendations to strengthen the country's national security architecture.
"Security is fundamental to peace, social cohesion and sustainable development in the region, particularly given its experiences with communal and boundary disputes, mining-related tensions, drug and substance abuse, organised crime and youth vulnerability," he stated.
He said those challenges required a coordinated, inclusive and preventive approach involving all relevant stakeholders.
He also called for greater attention to socioeconomic conditions, including unemployment, exclusion and vulnerability, which could contribute to insecurity.
The engagement provided a platform for stakeholders to share their perspectives on the security challenges confronting the Upper East Region and contribute to the development of a national security framework that responds to the changing security environment.
