Jatikay Centre welcomes National Security reshuffle, flags Sahel terror spillover as urgent priority

The Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has welcomed the National Security Council Secretariat reorganisation, including the appointment of William Ayamdo as Deputy National Security Coordinator. The Centre's Executive Director, Adib Saani, expressed optimism that the new leadership would prioritize emerging threats, particularly the spillover of violence from the Sahel region.

The Centre emphasized the need for enhanced intelligence gathering, border surveillance, regional cooperation, and protection of vulnerable communities in northern Ghana. Chieftaincy, land, and communal disputes were identified as significant internal security risks, with hundreds of unresolved disputes potentially destabilizing communities.

Organized crime, including illicit financial flows, money laundering, illegal gold trading, and cross-border criminal networks, was also flagged for prioritization by the Secretariat. The Centre stressed that the reorganization should focus on proactive threat anticipation, disrupting criminal networks, improving intelligence coordination, and safeguarding citizens while upholding the rule of law and human rights.

The Jatikay Centre pledged its ongoing support, offering research and civil society expertise to bolster Ghana's national security architecture.