Journalist raises security concerns over 14-storey building project overlooking CID HQ

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has been petitioned by a private citizen, Maxwell Okamafo Addo, over the construction of a high-rise building close to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in Accra.

In the petition, sighted by GhanaWeb, Okamafo Addo raised serious security concerns over the construction of the building, which he said was a 14-storey structure overlooking the CID headquarters building.

He pointed out that nowhere in the world would a private facility of such a nature be allowed to be constructed close to a national security facility.

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“The national security infrastructure, like the CID Headquarters and others, plays a crucial role in maintaining the sovereignty and security of a state. The CID Headquarters encompasses a vast array of facilities, including command centres, intelligence offices, cybersecurity hubs, police installations, and other sensitive sites that are central to a country’s defence and intelligence operations.

“Apart from very popular buildings like presidential villas and security ministries and departments all over the world, that are well-protected, many other structures equally have more sensitive features. For example, the FBI headquarters is among the most sensitive buildings in the United States. Also, buildings housing any of the United Kingdom’s intelligence agencies are as important as No. 10 Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives and works. These are some of the fundamental aspects of national security infrastructure and the importance of maintaining their exclusivity,” he wrote.

The petitioner went on to ask the government to, as a matter of urgency, stop the ongoing construction with immediate effect in the interest of national security.

“The government of Ghana must stop the project without delay and prosecute the people who gave them a permit to start the project. They cannot destroy the security architecture of this country. It’s imperative that such close skyscrapers cannot be built around the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for security reasons.

“So, it’s important we take a look at such structures overlooking the CID Headquarters. This edifice is a recipe for disaster if it is put to use. The national security should act now and not later,” part of the petition reads.

BAI/MA

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