Report Terrorist Attacks To State Security Agencies -Dormaa West DCE Urges Residents
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Dormaa West District Assembly of the Bono Region, Mr. Francis Kwadwo Oppong, has intensified effective public education on the terrorist activities in the district.
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Dormaa West District Assembly of the Bono Region, Mr. Francis Kwadwo Oppong, has intensified effective public education on the terrorist activities in the district.
He stressed the need for the residents to report any suspected cases of terrorist attacks on the individuals and organizations in the Dormaa communities to the state security and intelligence agencies for the appropriate security measures to be taken to deal with the situation.
According to the DCE who doubles as the Chairman of the Dormaa West District Security Committee (DISEC), the current continuous threat of terrorism in the various communities in the country is real and urged the public, particularly the residents and churches in the Dormaa communities to be more cautious of terrorists.
He pointed out that the National Security Minister, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah has been at the forefront of raising an alarm bell over the terrorist activities in the country, urging citizens to inform state security and intelligence agencies about hideouts of terrorists within their communities to reduce the threat of an attack in Ghana.
The DCE stressed that it is important for all and sundry to support the national efforts by way of exposing hideouts of terrorists to reduce the threat of attacks in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview on Osikani FM 99.7 MHZ at Nkrankwanta under the Dormaa West District program dubbed; "The DCE's Hour," Mr. Oppong assured us that his outfit is on the high alert against terrorist attacks and called on the residents to support him.
Monitored by the Soireenews.com, the DCE used the opportunity of the program to educate the residents in the communities of Dormaa about the government flagship campaign program being launched by Mr. Kan-Dapaah dubbed, “See Something, Say Something,” aimed at sensitizing the citizenry to actively play a role in protecting the peace and stability of the State.
He indicated that the campaign also empowers Ghanaians to be more conscious of their security and enhance their relationship with State Security Authorities.
He said the campaign had always formed a key part of the country’s National Framework for Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism.
However, the timing of its rollout was informed by the need to institute more preventative measures given recent events in the West African sub-region.
“The support of the citizenry in informing security agencies on happenings in their localities where the terrorists were likely to hide and commit their atrocious crimes, significantly reduces the threat of an attack in Dormaa communities and Ghana as a whole.”
He assured the residents that the Dormaa West District Assembly, together with the various security agencies was working tirelessly to protect citizens against a terrorist attack and safeguard the peace and stability of the area since the district is very closer or shares a boundary with the Côte d'Ivoire, which is the West Africa country.
He expressed fear that these terrorists have invaded some countries in West Africa which are Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and killed some innocent people, and injured many others
Although Ghana is currently free from these terrorist attacks, the DCE stated that it is not the time for Ghanaians to swiftly report suspicious activities of strangers in their communities to the relevant security and intelligence agencies.
"We should be ready at times and security cautious and that we should be cautious of the visitors we even receive into our communities,' the DCE advised the residents.
He cited that the invasion of the terrorists into the church premises in Nigeria to attack some congregations should be a typical example to us in Ghana for us to be more vigilance about the activities of terrorists."
The DCE said terrorism, as perpetrated in the sub-region and the Sahel had become highly unconventional and largely asymmetric and had evolved to a point where overreliance on only conventional tactics and traditional means of combating the threat could prove ineffective.
He said the terrorist groups which continued to wreak havoc in neighboring countries, came in all shapes and forms and many of them blended seamlessly into their target societies, thus making their identification and subsequent arrests by State security and intelligence agencies a difficult endeavor.
Mr. Oppong said Ghana’s success in combatting the threats faced would require a total mobilization of citizens to recognize those risks, to be alert, and call on all and sundry to work together with security agencies to strengthen Ghana’s security architecture to counter the threats of terrorism.
To ensure the safety and security of worshippers in church buildings since the terror threat becoming increasingly complex and varied in Ghana, the DCE asked crushers and leadership of the churches to act to help prevent attacks
He entreated all the ushers of the various churches in the country to be mindful of the visitors they allow to enter their churches to worship with them since the terrorist activities are real.
The DCE also urged the media to continue highlighting issues on security for discussion in their various outlets.
