Prof. Gyampo, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon
A Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo, has eulogised the Minister-designate of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, for the matured responses he gave before Parliament’s Appointment Committee during his vetting on Wednesday.
“In my assessment of the performance of the National Security Minister Designate, I think he offered very simple, mature, and factual responses to questions. He was cautious not to create fear and panic. He showcased his achievements in a modest way. He was both confident and humble; erudite and not verbose,” Prof Gyampo said.
In a statement shared on social media, he noted that the Minister-designate was asked questions that were outside his purview, adding “this clearly showed that some of the members of the vetting committee were not too conversant with the mandate of the National Security Ministry.”
“My only challenge was that he wasn’t angry enough about the attempt to civilianize the military. This must not be encouraged in any democratic dispensation.
“I completely dismiss the views of a particular so-called Security Expert who is on radio dismissing everything that the nominee said. It is sheer ignorance for one to argue that national security is only about what can be seen. There are so many things that national security does to maintain our peace which we don’t see, and hence take for granted,” he stated.
Protection for public officials
Meanwhile, the Minister-designate has justified the deployment of officers of the Ghana Armed Forces as security details for some public officials.
According to him, the development where some ministers of state and heads of state agencies are protected by the military personnel instead of the police administration is crucial.
He explained the decisions are taken when intelligence indicates that “a particular individual has a problem and people are after his life, and we think there is a danger.”
“Anywhere you have seen soldiers having to protect a certain individual, it is because in our assessment, in the assessment of the security experts, there is the need for such support to be given to that particular person.
“Clearly, the Ghana Police Service and the other security agencies, in terms of equipment and men, have never had the full complement of what it takes to provide the most effective policing in the country,” he said.
“I do know of a journalist that we continue to provide security cover and security support to,” he added.
