The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has identified border vulnerabilities, communal conflicts and cross-border criminal activities as key concerns requiring stronger preventive measures as Ghana reviews its National Security Strategy.
The issues emerged during a stakeholder consultation in Dambai in the Oti Region, where security agencies, traditional authorities, local government representatives and other stakeholders were invited to provide region-specific information to shape the revised strategy.
Dr Bako Mohammed, Technical/Intelligence Aide to the National Security Coordinator, said the security environment had changed significantly since the adoption of the 2020 National Security Strategy, requiring the country to reassess both emerging threats and existing responses.
He said the Oti Region required particular attention because of its geographical location and exposure to a number of security concerns, including border vulnerabilities, land-related tensions, chieftaincy disputes and illicit arms trafficking.
Dr Mohammed said the potential southward spread of violent extremism from the Sahel towards coastal West Africa also made it important for Ghana to strengthen preparedness, particularly in communities located close to vulnerable borders.
He, however, cautioned against creating unnecessary fear among citizens, saying Ghana’s democratic institutions remained resilient and the security services continued to demonstrate professionalism in protecting the country’s peace and stability.
According to him, the changing nature of security threats meant that national responses could no longer rely solely on conventional security measures. He called for stronger community-level intelligence gathering, effective early-warning systems and enhanced border surveillance.
“What confronts a community in the Oti Region may not necessarily be what confronts a coastal community in the Western Region, and vice versa,” he said.
Dr Mohammed stressed that communities were often best placed to identify early signs of emerging threats and urged residents, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to provide credible information to security agencies.
He said closer collaboration between communities and security institutions would also help build trust and improve the timely sharing of information on suspicious activities before they developed into major security incidents.
Beyond violent extremism and terrorism, the consultation considered threats such as transnational organised crime, trafficking in illicit arms, narcotics and persons, cybercrime, misinformation and disinformation, as well as climate-related security challenges.
Dr Mohammed particularly highlighted the growing influence of misinformation and disinformation on social media, warning that false information could inflame public sentiment, deepen existing tensions and undermine confidence in state institutions.
He said the regional consultations were intended to determine whether the threats contained in the draft strategy adequately reflected conditions on the ground, identify threats that might have been overlooked and assess whether proposed responses were practical and achievable.
He urged participants to speak candidly about security challenges confronting their communities and to use the consultation as an opportunity to provide information that might not be readily available at the national level.
“Tell us what you know, tell us what you observe, and tell us what you genuinely believe must be addressed,” he said.
The Technical/Intelligence Aide explained that the views gathered from the consultations would be documented and submitted to the committee responsible for reviewing the National Security Strategy.
He clarified that the contributions from stakeholders would not automatically become government policy, noting that the revised strategy would still have to pass through the appropriate governmental processes before its adoption.
Dr Mohammed said peace and stability were essential to national development, as insecurity could disrupt economic activity, education, social cohesion and the general wellbeing of communities.
He therefore called for sustained cooperation among security agencies, traditional authorities, local government institutions, civil society organisations, religious bodies, academia, the private sector, youth and women’s groups and local communities.
He expressed confidence that incorporating regional perspectives into the review would enable Ghana to develop a more responsive security framework capable of addressing both existing threats and emerging challenges while protecting the country’s peace and democratic gains.
