We’ll improve housing for security services – Ambrose Dery

Minister-designate for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, has assured that one of his priorities if approved will be to improve accommodation for the nation’s security services across the country.

According to him, the introduction of the National Barracks Regeneration Programme will help in improving according problem confronting the Ghana’s security agencies.

“We have stated in our manifesto that there will be a National Barracks Regeneration Programme and a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement is one of the options.

“The investment could come through the PPP arrangements but we will do that with the consciousness for value for money and ensure that the country gets the best deal when it comes to this,” he said when he appeared before Parliament’s appointment committee Saturday.

Mr. Dery also stated that the Akufo-Addo-led government will follow existing laws enshrined in the 1992 Constitution in the engagement of private security in the country,

“In consonance with the constitution, Article 200 to be specific, I believe that His Excellency the president is going to ensure that there is a strict enforcement of existing legislation so as to create a conducive macro-environment for the private intervention and other interventions that we want.”

“Much as we would want to make use of private security when necessary, I think that we will not abdicate the role to provide that cover to the police and other security agencies and there are avenues to raise funds.

“For instance, in the police, we have the Formed Police Unit in South Sudan. Ghana has sent one team and the United Nations was impressed about it and they want two more teams. Should we get two more teams there, we will earn some hard currency that will not only support the economy but help finance the various institutions.

“We have public-private agreements and engagements in the prisons for instance. There are engagements between the Prisons Service and some private sector actors…and so I believe that there will be some internally generated funds that will come in and I have confidence that this government will get the resources to make good on the promises that we made to Ghana.”