Intelligence gathering capabilities of Security Agencies being revamped – Akufo-Addo

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, says a process has been initiated to revamp the intelligence gathering capabilities of the Ghana Police Service and other Security agencies of the State aimed at ensuring a more efficient approach in dealing with security threats in and against the country.

Addressing the Council of Independent Churches at the Jubilee House when they paid a courtesy call on him, President Akufo Addo said his administration is developing a multiphase sated approach targeted at guaranteeing the security of the Nation which He says has started with the recruitment of additional hands to strengthen the Police force and retooling of the security agencies in the country to make them more efficient.

“We have also begun the reorganization of some of the security agencies so that we can enhance the intelligence gathering capacity of the State. One of the problems is that we don’t have a domestic agency in Ghana which is devoted solely to the gathering of intelligence, getting to know what is going on, what the criminal syndicates are doing, and what other potential troublemakers are also doing” the President said.

President Akufo Addo stressed that “if you have an institution that can penetrate those entities, it strengthens the hand of the State in dealing with them. We want a situation where when crimes are committed in our country, as soon as possible, the Police are able to deal with it. One of the problems we are having is that sometimes it takes too long a gap between the deed and the arrest of those who are responsible for it” President Akufo Addo noted.

In their address during the call, the Council of independent Churches, through the Administrator of the Council, Rev. Dr. Patrick Addison, commended the President and his administration for the way and manner in which they handled the Dagbon Chieftaincy Crisis together with the three eminent chiefs which has resulted in the equitable resolution of the crisis and the subsequent enskinment of a new Ya Naa in Dagbon. They beseeched President Akufo Addo to pay particular attention to the issues of vigilantism and in recent times, the increasing spat of cases of kidnapping that have bedeviled the Nation.

On flith and Climate Change, the Council indicated that the agenda to make Accra one of the cleanest cities in Africa should continue to engage the attention of the President in order to make it a reality and not just a wish.

The Kyoto Protocol which is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets, the Council says is not being implemented in Ghana. They, therefore, drew the attention of the government to pay heed to the demands of the Protocol and ensure that it is implemented to safe the State from greenhouse gases (GHG), especially in the Tema industrial enclave. The role of the Church in Nation building, the Council of Independent Churches observed cannot be overemphasized. They urged the President to at all times ensure that the Church is consulted in all efforts aimed at building the Nation Ghana.

President Akufo Addo, welcomed all the concerns, observation and suggestions of the Council. He assured them that government will not in any way overlook the concerns they have tabled before him and his administration.

“I am very happy about your presence here today and extremely grateful for your comments, Suggestions and observations, that have come from you, all of which is that, we are working for the same end, the welfare of the people of this country and their progress” the President said.