Kan Dapaah briefs Parliament on proposed National Security Policy for Ghana

The Ministry of National Security is to introduce a National Security Policy Document that runs for four years but subject to review at the beginning of each year.

Sector Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah told Parliament on Wednesday that the proposed document is expected to be ready before the end of the year, and that the yearly review is to assess emerging national security threats.

Mr Kan-Dapaah was responding to a question posed by Mr James Agalga, Ranking Member on Defence and Interior Committee and Member of Parliament for Builsa North, on whether the Ministry had plans to introduce a National Security Policy to the House for consideration.

The Minister said there was an urgent need for the country to have a documented National Security Policy framework to protect the state and its citizens.

He said the vision of the Government was to use the Document to set the stage for a progressive and secured security governance system.

Mr Kan-Dapaah explained that it had not been the practice of the country to have such a policy detailing the strategic framework and defining how to provide security for the state and citizens.

In October, 2017, the Ministry of National Security set up a Technical Working Group to initiate the process of drafting a National Security Policy.

The group comprised representatives of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the academia and known security experts.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said the group has made some progress and after several consultations with various Ministries and State Departments over the period, a draft detailed National Security Policy document is ready.

He said the draft document had gone through various validation and review processes with selected security and governance experts as well as stakeholder consultations with interest groups and Civil Society Organizations.

Mr Kan-Dapaah announced that the Ministry intended to submit the final draft to Parliament for its input.

He, however, stated that the policy document would not be submitted to the House as a Bill to be passed into an Act of Parliament, as that had not been the best international practice.

He explained that the consultation with Parliament would, therefore, be limited to discussions with the Select Committee responsible for National Security and the Leadership of the House.

Source: GNA