The Ministry of National Security, as part of its “See Something, Say Something” Campaign, has called for heightened vigilance from citizens to use the toll-free number 999 to report suspicious individuals or incidents in their surroundings.
Mrs Akosua Danquah Ntim Sekyere, Team Lead for the Campaign, said considering the events in neighbouring countries, it was imperative for the country to build upon her successful security measures while also addressing any vulnerabilities to prevent violent extremism.
She said Ghana, experiencing an influx of refugees from the sub-region, had some genuinely seeking assistance while others might pose security risks, and stressed the need to exercise caution in daily interactions with individuals to promote national security.
She was speaking during a sensitisation engagement with schools and communities in the Northern Region to widen security consciousness among the citizenries.
The sensitisation was a component of the “See Something, Say Something” Campaign, which was launched in 2022 to protect the country against terrorist attacks and violent extremists.
The team visited Senior High Schools (SHS), traditional and religious authorities, District Assemblies as well as political leaders of communities in Nanton, Gushegu, Karaga and Saboba in the Northern Region.
The region’s engagement was the 10th of the nationwide sensitisation campaign on “See Something, Say Something”.
Mr Kester Osei, a member of the team, educated the students and community members on key features to describe suspicious acts using the acronym SALUTE, clarifying what each letter stood for.
In the SALUTE acronym, he said S stood for the specific object or size, A for activity undertaken by the suspect, L for the location, U for uniform worn, T for time of the action and E for the equipment used.
Mr Osei said the acronym was to help give vivid description of a suspect or incident to aid investigation.
He warned against disclosing reported suspicions adding it endangered individual safety.
Naa Abdulai Nantongmah, Paramount Chief of Karaga Traditional Area, during the team’s visit, commended the efforts of the National Security, saying “See Something, Say Something” Campaign was a good initiative in promoting peace.
He said, “There’s the need to educate the youth to pay careful attention to strangers particularly in areas where there is influx of refugees.”
He urged the National Security to maintain neutrality, advocate increased funding, and enhance community engagement efforts to address lawlessness in the country.
District Chief Executives (DCEs) engaged by the team, shared their thoughts on the campaign and expressed their commitment to ensuring that the message reached all members within their jurisdictions.
Mr Abdulai Murtada, DCE for Nanton, said the initiative was a timely reminder for Ghanaians to remain vigilant against actions that could threaten the country’s peace.
He said, “This year being an election year, it is good to remind citizens to be watchdogs and identify anything that will destruct the peace of Ghana.”
