Security Analyst and Foreign Policy Expert has urged the national security apparatus and duty bearers in Ghana to take early warning systems regarding potential violence escalation seriously, ahead of the 2024 Election.

Adib Saani, who made the call at the 16th graduation ceremony of the Doyen Institute of Intelligence and Investigations in Accra, said it was imperative to ensure regular collection and analysis of data on conflicts via systematic monitoring and reporting of conflict indicators.

In a world where security challenges continue to evolve and diversify, Mr Saani said, the role of investigative and intelligence officers is becoming increasingly crucial to ensure peace and harmony.

Therefore, it is important to equip investigative and intelligence officers with theoretical knowledge and practical skills to perform their tasks effectively, he said.

“We find ourselves in a volatile Sub-region that has had its share of instability in recent years. Therefore, the existence of peace, stability and good governance is a pre-requisite for achieving sustainable development, ”Mr Saani stated.

Saani, also a Certified Specialist in Conflict Analysis and Mediation, mentioned some security threats in the Sub-region and Sahel, including terrorism, violent extremism, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as drug trafficking and piracy that threatened peace and harmony.

The African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism says in the second quarter of 2023, West Africa recorded 57% of total attacks and deaths.

The Sahel region alone accounted for 44% of attacks and 46% of deaths with 344 incidents of attacks and 1,849 deaths.

Violence extremism has led to 1.5 million internally displaced people in Nigeria with over 600,000 in the Sahel region.

Saani, therefore, urged graduates of the Doyen Institute of Intelligence and Investigations to use their expertise to gather and analyse security threats and advise decision-makers accordingly on preventive measures.

“Your tireless dedication to gathering accurate and timely intelligence is a linchpin in fostering stability, security and peace across the African Continent, “Mr Saani stressed.

Mr George Dosoo-Doyen, the Executive- Director of Doyen Institute of Intelligence and Investigations, said it took the students through rigorous training in investigations, criminal justice, criminal profiling, military intelligence, forensics, security management and other specialised security programmes to prepare them adequately in their careers.

The Institute, he said, stood as a beacon of excellence in the realm of security education and, therefore, entreated the graduates to work collaboratively in their respective institutions to combat crime and other fraudulent activities in the country and beyond.

Maxwell Caleb Nortey-Newman, a Certified Fraud Examiner and Forensic Professional, speaking on the topic: ”Professionalism-A Tool for Survival” underscored the need for security and intelligence officers to build a legacy of integrity and adhere strictly to the code of ethics of the profession.

In all, 150 students from various security-related agencies in Ghana and other African countries graduated and received certificates and citations for completing the course.