The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has challenged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to take greater responsibility for security threats within their jurisdictions, warning that waiting for crises to escalate before seeking national intervention could have serious consequences.
Speaking in Kumasi at a training workshop on the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026 (Act 1168) for the Ashanti Regional Security Council, Alhaji Muntaka said local authorities must move beyond responding to incidents and develop systems capable of identifying threats before they become major security challenges.
He said MMDCEs, as the government’s closest representatives to local communities, are strategically positioned to detect early warning signs.
“You are supposed to be aware of everything that is happening within your municipalities. You have to take responsibility just as the President takes responsibility for the whole country,” he said on October 1.
The Minister said security management requires constant vigilance, intelligence gathering and coordination among local authorities and security agencies.
He cited issues such as illegal mining, land and chieftaincy disputes, criminal activities and the circulation of explosives as matters that should immediately attract the attention of local security structures.
Alhaji Muntaka questioned why some local authorities remain disconnected from security agencies operating within their jurisdictions.
“How many of you have, since you became chief executive, visited even the fire station in your district? How many of you have visited the police command in your district?”
He urged MMDCEs to establish closer working relationships with the police, fire service and intelligence agencies and make regular security meetings a priority.
According to him, resources devoted to prevention should not be considered less important than investments in physical infrastructure.
“What sense does it make for you to build a classroom that gets burnt the next day? What sense does it make to build a hospital in a community where all the facilities get vandalised the next day? So you must prioritise security meetings.”
The Interior Minister also expressed concern over the availability of explosives on the open market in mining communities, saying their presence raises questions about how the items are being imported, transported and stored.
He referenced the devastating consequences of incidents involving explosives and urged local authorities to pay closer attention to activities within their communities.
“If you know the regime for importing, transporting and storing explosives, you will wonder why it is easily found on the roadside in many mining areas like Konongo and Obuasi. You should be interested in some of these things that are happening within your localities.”
The Deputy National Security Coordinator, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) William Azure Ayamdo, also called for stronger coordination between security agencies and local authorities.
He said many security threats first emerge at the community and district levels, making Regional and District Security Councils critical to Ghana’s national security architecture.
“MCEs and DCEs are equally important to this process. You are closest to the communities you serve. You are often the first to know when tensions are developing, when disputes are emerging, or when there are signs of a possible security problem.”
Maj. Gen. Ayamdo therefore urged participants to strengthen trust, confidentiality and cooperation across institutions.
“Our goal must be to build a security system that is proactive rather than reactive, coordinated rather than fragmented, and preventive rather than crisis-driven.”
The workshop forms part of a nationwide engagement aimed at deepening understanding of Act 1168 and strengthening the capacity of regional and local security structures to respond to emerging threats.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
