‘Recruit qualified, professional personnel into national security’ – Adib Saani tells govt

Security Analyst, Adib Saani, has called for the institution of a non-partisan recruitment process for National Security personnel.

He wants government and relevant stakeholders to employ individuals who would act professionally in executing their duties.

He insisted that the process will not only help to improve security but also ensure that orderliness and standard of work in the security service are always maintained.

“I don’t think we should dissolve the National Security Service, rather we should get qualified professional in there, and it is never about the execution."

“If we are able to put politics aside and do the right thing, we will be improving security overall particularly getting them to be professional in their approach to executing their job.”

According to him, there must be background checks of people who are to be recruited into the National Security.

“The mode of recruiting is very key, unfortunately, there are instances where people just go and show their party ID cards and they are favoured,” he alleged.

His comments come after the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) urged government to implement the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry by dissolving the SWAT team of the National Security Council Secretariat.

This follows the alleged assaults on two Citi FM journalists, Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu-Baidoo.

Adib Saani believes that although both journalists overstepped their boundaries to take shots when they were not supposed to, the National Security Secretariat could have employed a more appropriate method in managing the issue from intensifying.

“From my experiences, it’s obvious that the young journalist overstepped his boundaries, the National Security installation is not like Makola market so you can just walk up to National Security and start taking pictures or videos, there or processes to follow."

“…however, the manner in which the National Security addressed the issue I think is what is quite unfortunate, it could have been better managed rather than send a team of heavily armed personal to Citi FM,” he added.

There’s an authorization for operations carried out, hence, all persons who are found wanting of breaching the law, especially in the case of Caleb Kudah should be held accountable, Adib Saani further stated.

The broadcast Journalist, Caleb Kuda was arrested for allegedly filming abandoned vehicles procured by the Microfinance and Small Scale Loans Centre at the premises of the National Security on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.