By Anthony Adongo Apubeo, GNA
Sirigu (U/E), March 30, GNA – As part of efforts to improve security within the border communities and enhance cross-border trade, the security services and civilians of the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and Kassena-Nankana West District, Upper East Region, have met at Sirigu to enhance working relationships.
The dialogue seeks to create a platform for the stakeholders to interact and establish consensus on strategies to engender trust and cooperation for community resilience against violence and crimes and improve socioeconomic activities within the border communities.
The National Peace Council (NPC) organised the dialogue in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with funding support from the Government of Norway.
It brought together the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Military, National Fire Service, National Intelligence Bureau and residents of Manyoro, Yua, Natugnia, and Sirigu including the Fulani (Fulbe) community.
Key among the challenges identified as responsible for the bad relationship between security agents and civilians were harassment by border security officers, corruption and discrimination against certain minority groups.
Mr Ali Anankpieng, the Upper East Regional Executive Secretary, NPC, observed that apart from the citizenry having low knowledge on the security services operations, the instances of bad relationship between the two constantly led to disagreements.
“This leads to an increasing use of unapproved routes due to increasing cross-border trade, which poses security challenges to the country.”
He said the move was, therefore, to help both the security services and the community members to identify the challenges and agree on strategies to improve cooperation between them to prevent violence and ensure safety.
“Some of the community members believe that the actions of the security services rather cause them problems but if you listen to the security services, you’d realise that they’re actually working within their mandates, but they need to explain to the community members to understand,” he said.
Mr Anankpieng said due to the threats of violent extremism from the Sahelian countries, particularly Burkina Faso and family ties in those countries, unregulated movement within the border posed a security challenge to the country and underscored the need for strengthened social cohesion.
He called on the security services to intensify engagement with the residents.
“One good way of doing community entry is to identify the leaders of the community and introduce yourself to them, in that way you can get their cooperation when you desire it,” he added.
Mr Kingsley Kanwi, the Assemblyman for Manyoro Electoral Area, said most people within the border communities had families and farmlands in Burkina Faso and crossing the border had been a major challenge between them and the security agencies, especially the immigration officers.
He said the engagement had increased their appreciation of the security’s operations, which would boost the relations between the two parties to enhance peaceful coexistence at the borders.
Deputy Superintendent of Immigration, Robert Ubindam, Head of Operations and Intelligence, Ghana Immigration Service, Paga Sector Command, identified the lack of awareness as major cause of the challenge and pledged the Service’s commitment to intensifying community level engagements to deepen public understanding.
GNA