Government asked to regulate mode of licensing private security organisations

Accra, March 29, GNA - The Association of Private Security Organisation of Ghana (APSOG) on Saturday expressed distraught about the mode of issuing licences to individuals or groups seeking to operate private security organisations in the country. Nana Edu Agyeman IV, Chairman of APSOG, urged the Government through the Ministry of the Interior and National Security to urgently review the procedure to avoid infiltration of dangerous elements into the industry.

"There should be some form of control system that is not going to allow people who know nothing about private security, how it works, and what it entails to be licensed as such free for all mode of registration is dangerous for the national security," he stated. Nana Agyeman was speaking at the end of the Fourth Parliamentary Training workshop organised by the African Security Dialogue and Research (ASDR) for members of APSOG, parliamentarians, representatives from security agencies and National Disaster and Management Organisation.

The workshop on the theme; "Understanding and Regulating Private Security in Ghana," sought to enlighten participants on the Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (PSSP), brainstorm on the policy statement for the review of the legislation on private security organisations and study the PSSP regulatory authority. Nana Agyeman said the increasing crime rate in the country against the low Police/civilians ratio made the establishment of the regulatory mechanism for private security operations indispensable. He explained that private security organisations were suppose to complement the efforts of the security services in policing the country, hence the need for collaboration on operational terms and regulations as well as clear definition of roles.

A working document made available to the Ghana News Agency on the Code of Conduct for PSSP, defined the general moral principles and rules of behaviour for all PSSP and their employees.

The Code also enveloped the cardinal principles that a private security personnel was required to inculcate into his/her profession, spelt out the principles relevant to security organisations as well as explored the opportunities for synergies within the industry. All PSSP were under obligation to cooperate with the police and other state security agencies in the interest of the nation. They were also forbidden to demand or accept or offer any gifts or favours from clients which might be interpreted as seeking to exert undue influences and pressures to obtained preferential considerations and information in the course of their duties.