There’ve been too many mishaps in Ghana’s security – Dr. Aning

A security analyst with the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Center, Dr. Kwesi Aning has warned that if the security agencies and intelligence units do not sit up, there could be unnecessary tension and revenge attacks following the unending Fulani confrontations.

“For the past 18 months, there have been way too many intelligence mishaps that have been happening in this country” noted Dr. Aning.

According to him, “across this country, Fulani’s have been killed and buried but because they have no voice, we don’t know. If you listen to the narrative that is emerging, they are narratives of victimhood, exclusion, state oppression and of hurt and we have to be careful that does not form the basis of recruitment and for a revenge attack.”

He expressed disappointment in the district, regional and national securities for lack of proper or no intelligence gathering and the inactivity that hovers around the Fulani saga which has been raging for almost a decade.

He has therefore called for the dismissal of the District Chief Executive of Agogo in the Ashanti region and the regional minister who are both members of the District Security Council (DISEC) and Regional Security Council (REGSEC) respectively.

He said “If DISEC in the Agogo area failed to pick up the intelligence that there was something brewing and ordinary people were arming themselves across the divide, then somebody must be sacked, several people must be sacked.

“When you rush there now saturating the place with police officers and soldiers, what are they going to do? Upon what intelligence are they acting now?” he questioned.

He was speaking on Accra based Joy Fm on how Ghana as a country can effectively root out the conflict between Fulani herdsmen in Agogo in the Ashanti region and residents of their host communities. The conflict has led to the alleged killing of two people by the Fulani settlers in that community.

There have been similar reports in other parts of the country where members of host communities have fought with Fulani settlers creating tension in these areas. Another issue of concern has been the weapons carried by these nomadic herdsmen which they have used in their covert activities.

Some of them were wielding AK 45 assault rifles and other sophisticated weaponry.