Kpassa — A one-day workshop on raising awareness on terrorism and the threat it poses to the nation ended yesterday in Kpassa in the northern Nkwanta district of Oti region.
Participants called on locals to be vigilant and report people with suspicious characters to security agencies to help prevent terrorists from carrying out their nefarious activities in the area.
The workshop, which was organized by the Oti Regional Security Council (OREGSEC), brought together duty commanders from all nine districts, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and other stakeholders including chiefs and parents.
Addressing the participants, the Chairman of OREGSEC, who is also the Regional Minister (RM), Dr. Joshua Makubu said that similar workshops had been held in the districts to educate stakeholders on the activities of terrorists.
It further aimed to appreciate the need to collaborate with security agencies by providing relevant and timely information on questionable characters.
Dr. Makubu noted that while the security agencies are ready to handle any security threat to the region in particular and the country in general, security issues should be seen as a collective responsibility by all and should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone, since citizens have a crucial role to play in providing information to the police.
He therefore directed the Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) and the commanders of the various security agencies in the region to ensure that the borders in their respective areas are secured to prevent the illegal entry of terrorists. to help maintain peace and stability in the region.
The regional minister called on parents to ensure that they fulfill their parental responsibilities by providing effective guidance to their children to ensure that they would not be easily influenced by strangers.
They should also not be in the company of peer groups that might encourage them to indulge in illicit drugs.
Dr Makubu revealed that the Security Council had observed with concern the existence of ghettos in the region, where young people were engaged in the use of illicit drugs, so they would soon be raided by the police.
Nkwanta North District (DCE) Chief Executive Mr. William Nawungma Kidignang has advised hotel operators and owners to be vigilant of their customers and tenants by monitoring their activities.
“It should include the type of work they do, the type of people who have accompanied them to hotels and homes and, if they are not satisfied with their activities, should report to the police for action. needed,” he added.
