Mobile money operation points make vendors soft targets – Security analyst

Security Analyst, Adib Sani, says the operation points of mobile money vendors across the country have made them easy targets of armed robbery and other in the country.

He observed most of these points of operation have become soft targets for criminals due to lack of security.

His comment came on the back of the gruesome murder of Promise Atsu Dayi, mobile money at Adabraka on Monday August, 20 by some armed robbers.

Speaking to Johnnie Hughes on Community Connect on 3FM Friday morning, Mr. Sani underscored the need to find the root cause of the recent attacks on mobile money vendors in the country particularly in Accra and Kumasi in order to stop the criminals behind it.

“We have to first enter the criminal mind to find the motive, the means or capacity and the opportunity that enables them to commit these crimes,” he stated

He argued that the mobile money vendors expose themselves to thieves because many of them do not take adequate security precautions.

“The reactionary approach with which we deal with some of these security issues is what the problem is. We need to as a matter of priority, be proactive,” Sani advised.

In his view, the recent rise in robbery cases are as a result of the massive proliferation of small arms and light weapons trickling in from the Sahel Region and other parts of Africa.

He therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to enforce the Arms and Ammunition Act, by keeping a central register of all guns in the country.

The Security Analyst also advised mobile money vendors to be more cautious in their dealings.

“Let us stop flagrantly displaying money to the public. We should also take advantage of the use of burglar proof so that business can be transacted at a safer distance without necessarily accessing the vendor or the money.”