Foreign-plated cars too many in Ghana; pose security threat – Kotin

The Executive Director of the African Centre for Security and Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Emmanuel Kotin, has said the influx of vehicles with foreign number plates poses a security threat to Ghana.

Mr. Kotin has, therefore, asked the Ghanaian authorities to deal with the situation, as part of the fight against organised crime in the country.

In a statement, Mr. Kotin said the Centre “observes with worry that foreign-numbered cars have become more prevalent lately. These numbers are quite confusing for the general public to read and memorise. This situation contributes to weakening public willingness to report vehicles with occupants perceived to be acting suspiciously.

“It further disrupts public confidence to own the process of the fight against the commission of crimes such as armed financial fraud, smuggling, robbery and kidnapping.”

He added: “We, hence, entreat the country’s internal security establishment to, as a matter urgency, regulate the entry of foreign-numbered cars into the country and also engage existing users with the relevant regulatory frameworks; implore foreign missions to include in their programme, national laws regulating the use of foreign-numbered cars in the country; provide the general population with education on how to read and record foreign-numbered plates.”

“The African Centre for Security and Counter-Terrorism further assures the internal security establishment of our resolve to readily offer evidence-based advice imported for intelligence-led policing, especially in combating the commission of non-localised and irregular criminality events.”