The Head of Client Service of the Ministry of National Security, Akosua Ntim-Sekyere, has said that the “See something, Say something” campaign introduced to safeguard the peace and security in Ghana is not to create fear and panic.

Rather, she said, the campaign was to awaken the security consciousness of Ghanaians in the wake of terrorist attacks and the insurgence of violent activities of extremists in Burkina Faso and other neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Guinea.

She indicated that the campaign was to make the citizenry alert at all times to report suspected individuals who would infiltrate into Ghana through border communities.

Tour

Mrs Ntim-Sekyere said this during a tour to intensify the campaign in some border communities in the Upper East Region last Friday.

The three-day tour took the team to Pusiga, Kulungugu, Zebilla, Bongo, Paga and Wiaga, with the members interacting with chiefs and elders, as well as a cross-section of society, including traders and transport unions.

She noted that although it was the responsibility of the government through the security agencies to secure the country, Ghanaians also had a responsibility to play to ensure that the nation was safe.

She said: “There is no doubt that ensuring peace and security is a shared responsibility and that Ghanaians must be on the lookout to report persons whose actions they are not sure of to the security agencies for immediate action.”

Prank calls dangerous

Mrs Ntim-Sekyere said it was dangerous for the public to place prank calls to the toll-free number — 999 — meant to receive calls about suspicious activities.

She explained that “calling the hotline only to find out whether the number is working can prevent the call of someone with genuine security concerns to go through for immediate action to be taken.”

While appealing to the public to desist from placing such calls to the call centre, she gave an assurance that the hotline was efficient and effective, and that there were always officers to respond to calls.

She entreated the public to have confidence in the security agencies and to offer the necessary support to them in the discharge of their duties.

Additional entry point

The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyarum, called on the government to take immediate steps to set up another recognised entry point at Feo in addition to the one at Namoo, which shared a border with Burkina Faso.

He expressed concern that some people entered Ghana from Burkina Faso through unapproved routes and that it was important for personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to intensify their checks at the border.

SOURCE: GraphicOnline