The Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building has welcomed the reorganisation of the National Security Council Secretariat, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen Ghana’s national security architecture.
The Centre particularly welcomed the appointment of retired Major General William Ayamdo as Deputy National Security Coordinator responsible for Operations, alongside other appointments to key departments of the Secretariat.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Adib Saani, the Centre congratulated the newly appointed officials and urged them to use the restructuring to improve intelligence coordination, operational effectiveness, accountability and preventive security measures.
The Centre, however, identified violent extremism and the potential spillover of terrorist activities from the Sahel into Ghana as one of the most pressing challenges requiring the attention of the new leadership.
It said developments in Burkina Faso and other parts of the Sahel made it necessary for Ghana to sustain intelligence gathering, strengthen border surveillance and deepen intelligence cooperation with neighbouring countries.
The Centre also called for increased investment in the resilience of vulnerable communities, particularly in northern Ghana, as part of efforts to prevent violent extremism from taking root.
Beyond terrorism, the Jatikay Centre identified chieftaincy, land and communal disputes as significant internal security threats.
According to the Centre, Ghana has hundreds of unresolved chieftaincy, land and ethnic disputes, with several classified as high-risk conflicts capable of destabilising communities.
It further urged the new security leadership to intensify efforts against organised crime, illicit financial flows, money laundering, illegal gold trading and cross-border criminal networks.
The Centre noted that although such activities may appear primarily economic, they have direct implications for national security because their proceeds could fuel corruption, organised criminal groups and other destabilising activities.
It said the success of the reorganisation should ultimately not be measured by changes in personnel alone, but by the ability of the national security system to anticipate threats before they escalate, disrupt criminal networks and improve intelligence coordination.
The Centre also stressed the importance of protecting citizens while ensuring respect for the rule of law and human rights.
“The reorganisation of the National Security Council Secretariat should ultimately be judged not merely by changes in personnel, but by improvements in anticipating threats before they escalate,” the Centre said.
The Jatikay Centre said it remained ready to contribute its research, expertise and civil-society perspectives towards strengthening Ghana’s human and national security.
The statement was issued on August 11, 2026, and signed by Adib Saani, Executive Director of the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building.
Story By: Eric Boateng
