The Ghana Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) is calling for tightened security in schools as a measure against terrorist attacks and kidnapping in the sub-region.
Report from the African Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies warned that following the recent terrorist attack in Churches in Burkina Faso, Ghana might be under threat from Salati Jihadist group in Burkina Faso.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ee13C93T0kwIUFXY5vM7FMysXzujNooA”]According to the group, given that churches own about 5000 public schools in Ghana it is important that security measures are put in place to avert any future attacks.
The group also noted that it has not seen or heard anything from the Ghana Education Service in terms of providing and enhancing security for school apart from verbal assurances.
Among the things the Group demanded from the GES includes;
- Sanitize teachers, students and parents about how to deal with emerging threats
- Post safety tips in both written and visual formats at vantage points within the school environment.
- Ensure all information is accessible to deaf and blind students.
- Ensure schools are walled to prevent access by unauthorized persons.
- Ensure schools are well lighted at all times and security cameras installed if possible.
- Recruit day and night security men to provide security
- Ensure all private and public schools comply with the aforementioned
A Security Analyst with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre, Dr. Fiifi Adu-Afful, has urged the clergy to boost security in churches and worship centres over possible terrorist attacks.
According to him, the current trend of extremists attacks in Cote D’ Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali among others is a strong signal that Ghana is a likely target.
There have been security alerts of impending terrorist attacks targeted at churches and other places of worship.
Dr. Adu-Afful said it is important for the country to be alert and take precautionary measures to avert such attacks.
“The Church has now come under attack. The fact of the matter is that these guys have attacked almost all the national installations. They’ve attacked police stations, mosques, public places and now the church is the closest place for them to attack. If you look at the nature of the attacks and the methodology that they are using, it is quite worrying and all of us have to beef up our security in dealing with the issue of terrorism.”
The Police in the Central Region has also called on the clergy to consider banning the use of bags in churches to help with the fight against terrorism.
This according to the Dominase Police Commander, DSP Paul Ankan, will help reduce the risk of terrorist attacks in places of worship.
“It is very important for churches to ban the usage of bags in churches because we don’t know what is concealed in the bags. We have so many types of rifles, we have pistols, we have small arms, which when concealed on a person, will be very difficult for somebody to see. So for me as Christian, if you are going to church, you only need your Bible and notebook. We can’t sit down to be taken by surprise by a terrorist attack,” he said.