The National Peace Council (NPC) has urged communities along Ghana’s borders to take a more active role in identifying and reporting suspicious activities as part of efforts to prevent violent extremism and other forms of crime.
The Council said residents living in border communities were strategically positioned to detect unusual movements and activities before they developed into serious security threats.
Upper East Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, Mr Damien Asobayire, said effective security required active cooperation between civilians and security agencies, particularly in communities located close to Ghana’s international borders.
“Security is a collective responsibility, so if civilians and security agencies come together, they will be able to collaborate and tackle insecurity to enhance development,” he said.
Mr Asobayire was speaking at a Civilian-Security Dialogue at Binaba in the Bawku West District as part of activities under the Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor project.
The project is funded by the Governments of Norway and Denmark through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
He said an earlier online awareness engagement on violent extremism with community members had highlighted the need for stronger interaction between residents and security personnel.
The dialogue was therefore organised to provide a platform for residents and security agencies to discuss security concerns, clarify their respective responsibilities and develop practical mechanisms for responding to emerging threats.
Assistant Superintendent of Immigration, Mr Tahiru Jamalideen, said the porous nature of Ghana’s borders presented significant challenges for security agencies seeking to monitor the movement of people and goods.
He said residents in border communities could play an important role in addressing the challenge by providing timely information on suspicious movements and activities.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report persons or activities they considered suspicious to the appropriate security authorities.
“Where necessary, you can effect a citizen’s arrest and hand the suspect over to the security agencies for further interrogation,” he added.
The dialogue also drew attention to drug abuse as a potential contributor to crime and insecurity.
Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics, Mr Emmanuel Awinbe, of the Narcotics Control Commission, cautioned residents against the use and abuse of illicit drugs.
He said drug abuse could affect users’ health and judgement and increase behaviours that could expose individuals and communities to criminal activity.
Mr Awinbe explained that the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), provides different classifications and sanctions for narcotic-related offences, including possession, cultivation and trafficking.
He said personal possession had been reclassified as a misdemeanour and could attract a fine or lesser punishment, while unlawful cultivation carried a minimum 10-year prison sentence, with repeat offenders potentially facing life imprisonment.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Tonka Apam, a Station Officer with the Ghana Police Service, said the changing nature of crime made cooperation with local communities increasingly important.
He said residents often possessed information that security agencies might not otherwise obtain and encouraged them to share such intelligence promptly.
Mr Apam said timely information could enable the police and other security agencies to respond more effectively to emerging threats and prevent criminal activities from escalating.
A participant, Mr Jeremiah Asandow, welcomed the dialogue, saying it had provided residents with an opportunity to raise their concerns directly with security personnel.
“We are very grateful for this platform that has been created for us to have an interface with the security agencies. It has afforded us the opportunity to spell out our concerns and how we can effectively collaborate to combat crime in our community,” he said.
The NPC said sustained engagement between security agencies and border communities would be essential to building trust, improving information sharing and strengthening Ghana’s capacity to prevent violent extremism and crime.
