Legal practitioner and member of the governing NDC, Wonder Victor Kutor, wants Ghana to adopt the UK’s private security regulatory system to curb abuses in the country.
According to him, the UK has an independent regulatory authority that “enforces standards, investigates complaints, and maintains order”, a practice he believes would curb the deficit in Ghana’s system.
Kutor, speaking on the suspension of licenses of all private security operatives by the Interior Minister on TV3’s BigIssue segment on the NewDay morning show, indicated that governments in the Fourth Republic have always been reactionary instead of proactive, attributing the development to the recent shooting incident involving the former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo.
“The governments in the Fourth Republic have more than often been reactionary. What is the basis of suspending the license? It is just because of what has happened,” he noted.
“I can tell you that but for what has happened, nobody would have been talking about the license of these private securities,” he maintained.
He explained that “in the UK, they have an independent private security regulatory authority. We probably would have to go in that region. They enforce standards, they investigate complaints, they maintain order so we probably would have to move to that regime.”
His remarks come on the back of the suspension of private security licenses by the Interior Minister, following the shooting incident involving Sarah Adwoa Safo, a former Dome-Kwabenya MP.
The suspension, the Ministry indicates, aims to curb such incidents, but critics argue it’s a knee-jerk reaction rather than a sustainable solution.
Adwoa Safo’s shooting incident occurred amidst a leadership succession dispute within the Kristo Asafo movement, founded by their late father Apostle Kwadwo Safo, popularly known as Kantanka.
Reports indicate Adwoa Safo was at her brother’s residence when gunmen opened fire, discharging about 15 rounds of ammunition. One bullet grazed her neck, and was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment.
She’s currently in a stable condition and responding positively to medical care according to the family.
The family alleges that Israel Kwadwo Safo, also known as Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, was behind the attack, as he had been attempting to install himself as the leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission, contrary to their late father’s wishes.
Adwoa Safo had secured a court injunction to stop the installation, which may have triggered the violent confrontation.
Six private security guards have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and investigations are ongoing. The Ghana Police Service has assured the public that efforts are underway to identify and arrest all those involved.
Government revokes all firearm licences; introduces tougher vetting process
