Dealing with defence/security threats require training - Minister

Accra, May 15, GNA - Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith (Retired)= , Minister of Defense, on Friday said the responsiveness to modern defence and security threats largely depended on constant training for security services.

Speaking at the end of a 10-day Defense Management Course in Accra o= n Friday, he said uncertainties in the trend of emerging security threats w= ere a clarion call to equip defense forces to meet both current and future threats. Lt. Gen Smith added that rapid technological growth, demographic changes and the increased expectations of the people have made the securi= ty situation more cumbersome.

He said overcoming these challenges would require clear strategic directions articulated within an appropriate policy framework adding that=

the course was a timely intervention to these problems. The course was organized for the Defense Ministry, Ghana Police Service, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ghana Immigration Service= , the Bureau of National Investigation, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Communication and Head of Civil Service. It was aimed at exposing uniformed and civilian personnel working within the security sector to the issues, principles and techniques relev= ant to improving the governance and management of the defense and security. Lt. Gen. Smith identified inappropriate institutional designs and organizational cultures, which he said, continued to hamper efforts in addressing the security threats emerging from the context of environmenta= l changes.

He pledged the support of government in providing financial support f= or the effective management of the defense sector.

Lt Gen Smith said to ensure an effective defense management Ghana mus= t devise means for coordinating the efforts of all the agencies involved an= d to create avenues to share resources. "The means to achieve these goals is an overarching strategy to guide=

the actions of each agency and to enhance coordination and communication among them. "Our efforts at effective management of the defense sector go furthe= r than mere participation," he said adding that they would be relied to mak= e their organisations stronger and more effective. "For those of you in the Armed Forces you will be expected to take o= n new expanded roles and in some cases to redefine the concept of military operations and to get involved in wider range of activities that are directly linked to traditional notion of defense," he said.

Lt. Gen. Smith said currently defense in the traditional sense and security in the broader sense have become indistinguishable adding that t= his convergence of defense and broader security task would be needed to work more closely.

Major General Kwesi Yankson, Commandant, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College thanked the participants for their commitment to the course=

and asked them to put to good use, what they had learnt.