A security analyst, Dr. Kwesi Anning says the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) decision to employ foreigners to train the security personnel for its flagbearer and running mate is unjustifiable.<\/p>\n
Three South African ex-Police officers are currently in the grips of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for engaging in suspicious acts that Ghanaian security officials consider a threat to national security.<\/p>\n
It has emerged however that the three ex-officers were in the country to train the security detail of the opposition NPP<\/p>\n
The NPP says it took the decision to strengthen security around its leaders due to their growing popularity and their inability to control the crowd around the two.<\/p>\n
The move has led to a debate between the party and the governing National Democratic Congress whose leaders have described the South African nationals as mercenaries.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”TwREm7lt5c44CQnGIT7jqyEhk6iemYhM”]Speaking to Citi News<\/strong>, Dr. Anning said the NPP\u2019s reasons are untenable and \u201cabsolutely rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n “Being popular doesn\u2019t mean that you are under threat. What about the 27 million people in this country? Does the interest of one particular individual triumph over the interest of 27 million people? I listened to Dr. Amoako Tuffuor last night claiming that this is good for national security because the trained people will support national security. Who told him that and who\u2019s security is Amoako Tuffuor talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Anning also indicated that \u201cthe unfortunate thing is that too many people are talking and they don\u2019t know anything about what they are talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe interest of 27 million people will always supersede the interest of a sectional group of people and that we cannot compromise,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Dr. Kwesi Anning also said the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has every right to arrest and question the South African nationals suspected of breaking the laws of Ghana.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are our laws saying and the South African laws say about the citizens providing this kind of specialist trainings? The regulation around private security is from Act 350 of 1970 and the subsequent revisions through legislative instruments 1573 and 1594. In all cases, a private security company cannot bring in foreign security actors to do what is happening now. The BNI has a remit under the law to protect the national interest and any such of activities that threaten or undermine the national interest it is their responsibility to bring it under control. So the BNI has done what is right,\u201d the security expert argued.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin A. Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n