‘Share intelligence, knowledge to counter security threats’
Security threats facing Ghana and other countries require that institutions and nations share intelligence and knowledge to counter the threats, the National Security Coordinator, Mr Joshua Kyeremeh, has said.
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“We should know that no single agency can develop all the capabilities required to manage even the simplest security and defence problem,” he said, in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy National Security Coordinator, Mr Duncan Opare, at the closing ceremony of the 2017 Defence Management Course in Accra.
Mr Kyeremeh’s remarks come on the back of concerns about terrorism and attacks in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as others in Europe.
According to him, the increasing advancement and illusive nature of the threats in today’s world made it more delicate a process.
“A key objective of the course is to enable students to locate defence within the wider context of national and regional security. This is crucial to defence management as it is a multi-agency task requiring different skills and capabilities,” he said.
Defence management course
The two-week course involved 93 participants from the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), local and foreign security agencies and media. It is aimed at improving governance and management of the defence and security sectors.
It was organised by the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) in collaboration with the Defence Academy and Cranfield University in the United Kingdom (UK), as part of its curriculum to bring together agencies of state to learn and deliberate on principles, techniques and approaches to security in Ghana and other parts of Africa.
Mr Kyeremeh observed that effective coordination and collaborative efforts of all agencies would yield positive results.
He, therefore, urged the participants to establish platforms for exchange of information on regular basis.
Partnerships
The British High Commission Defence Advisor, Lt Col Simon Westlake, also called on the participants to share knowledge.
“I know that the standard has been extremely high. The challenge now is to maintain the momentum generated in this forum as we all seek, collectively, solutions to the varied defence and security-related challenges that we all face.
“I would ask one thing that you sustain the partnerships and friendship that would have been established during the last two weeks. As you look to do just that, it is in this spirit of partnerships and friendship that the United Kingdom remains committed, and stands ready to contribute, assist and work with Ghana and our wider partners in West Africa, “he said.