Government must invest in professional Close Protection Officers’ training - Nii Lantey Vanderpuye

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ododiodiodio Constituency, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has called on the government to invest in the training of professional Close Protection Officers to protect the lives of government officials and heads of institutions.

This according to the MP, would free the police and the military from carrying out close protection duties and focus on their statutory mandates.

He was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the maiden Close Protection Training (CPT) held at the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra on Wednesday.

The four-week training in partnership with the Delta Flash Protection Agency (DFPA) forms part of efforts to promote highly skilled professionals, equipped with the requisite knowledge and practical expertise to carry out their duties more professionally and in an advanced manner.

“I think that as a country, once we are developing, we should develop in all aspects especially when it comes to our security. We have always relied on the police and the army to protect state officials, but that is not the best since it is not part of their mandate,” he stated.

“Close security is assured when we have professionally trained people who would take care of our Very Important Personalities (VIPs). In that situation, it would free our policemen so they can attend to their mandate,” he stated.

“It is all about personal security and we must add the professional touch it so we can have more sophisticated security establishment in this country. We have taken it for granted for so long,” he stressed.

The kidnap of some Takoradi girls in 2021 he said, gave the country a reason to take care of its security and invest in professionals to protect persons of higher authority.

“This course is very important so I think companies, establishments and institutions should look at it so they can offer the necessary security to their bosses and avoid the cost associated with losing the lives of important persons,” he stated.

In all, 12 participants graduated and were presented with certificates and looking forward to using their newly acquired training to protect lives.

The participants were taken through training in fire protection and firefighting, swimming and surviving skills, threat identification, covert and overt surveillance and trip and medical intelligence.

They also had training in vehicle and personal security, tactical surveillance and counter measures, multiple weapon handling, close and distance monitoring, criminal investigation and act of terrorism.