Bureau of African Conflict, Peace & Security Management

The shooting incidence in parts of the country due to chieftaincy conflicts including Bawku needs urgent resolution to prevent escalation. We need professionals in Conflict, Peace and Security to manage the situation. Coercive force of The state cannot be the sole motor to address such a deep rooted conflict.

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The crises in Ukraine threatens international peace and security.

ECOWAS leaders must not take it light with coup makers on the subregion beyond sanctions and negotiations. Coup makers must be brought before the ECOWAS Court.

The Christmas is just around the corner. Be vigilant and take your personal security serious.

Politics and security

Maintaining The Independence Of The Security Services From Political Influence An important phenomenon for the provision of security as a public good is to ensure that the political neutrality of security and justice providers are guaranteed.

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Security And Sustainable Human Development There are four main pillars of Sustainable human development. These are: democracy, equity, social justice and sustainable, poverty-reducing economic development.

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What Are Security Issues? In the analysis of security, it is always important to know what is the meaning of security? Whose security? And what constitutes a security issue? Our discussion today will focus on what counts as security issues? Security has been defined as the absence of threat to a cherished value and there mus...

Know what constitute security issues

What Are Security Issues? In the analysis of security, it is always important to know what is the meaning of security? Whose security? And what constitutes a security issue? Our discussion today will focus on what counts as security issues? Security has been defined as the absence of threat to a cherished value and there mus...

What Are Security Issues? In the analysis of security, it is always important to know what is the meaning of security? Whose security? And what constitutes a security issue? Our discussion today will focus on what counts as security issues? Security has been defined as the absence of threat to a cherished value and there mus...

Writer:
Emmanuel F. Mantey
Executive Director (Bureau of African Conflict & Security Mgt)
Mob: 0243560186
Email: [email protected]
ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE SECURITY SECTOR: A CHALLENGING NECESSITY
Security, as we know is a public good and the consumers are the citizens. Society as a whole, and its citizens, are the beneficiaries of an increased security. Also, the provision of security to one individual does not reduce the provision of security for the rest of society. In principle, as a public good, security should be available to all in all societies. However, in practice, that is not so. The evidence shows that those classified as the elite community receives increased security compared to the poor and the less privileged.

Extending the argument, security is a global public good. Which means, no country is able to provide adequate physical security for its citizens on their own so long as security is not guaranteed everywhere. For example, during the Cold War, the main international danger for countries that were heavily armed came from the threat of nuclear weapons. In this era, the emerging threats are coming from conventional wars, terrorism, human trafficking, internal conflicts, drug trafficking and international crime. People worldwide are concerned about armed conflict, terrorism, violent crime, and war. In many countries, there are also justifiable complaints and significant concerns about violence originating from forces under government control such as experienced in Ghana in recent times. Studies conducted by Nayaran et al, (2000), suggest the following as some form of concerns raised by citizens on the police:
Unresponsive: that is, absent where needed, not coming when called or coming very late and only coming when someone has been killed.
Corrupt: that is false arrest, accusation, and imprisonment, with release only on heavy payment; theft, including stealing money from children; bribes for documents or to register cases; lying; threats, blackmail, and extortion; demanding protection money; using drugs; and conniving with criminals and releasing them when arrested.
Brutal: that is harassing street vendors and other poor people; confiscating identity documents; ra**ng women who go to police stations; beating up innocent people; torture; and murder, including killing street boys and protesters.
The above are real concerns that are also attributable to our current security agencies in the country requiring immediate action by stakeholders operating in the security service sector including CSOs and experts. The most worrying trend will be when civil society, instead of properly scrutinizing actions of the security sector and make them accountable to the people and acting as a form of control, jump to their defense. In such circumstances, the poor and the less privileged are those severely affected should the actions of the security services be detrimental.
It is important to note that there are several stakeholders in the security sector operating to help shape the security community. However, such as stated by Buzan (1991): UNDP (1994); King & Murray (2000), there are several contested debates on security as to who and what is to be protected from which threats.
Since the rise of the nation-state, protecting the state from external threats to its sovereignty dominated security policy. However, in recent times, since protecting elite groups or the government of- the-day has in reality had a much higher priority in many parts of the world such as in Ghana than protecting the state, both countries and their citizens have been left vulnerable and insecure. Again, such phenomenon has led to governments not prioritizing accountability on security expenditure and other related matters resorting to creating some security myth around such accountability purposes. A more and accurate explanation when it comes to the security sector according to the OECD Development Assistance Committee is:
…the security forces and the relevant civilian bodies and processes needed to manage them and encompasses: state institutions which have a formal mandate to ensure the safety of the state and its citizens against acts of violence and coercion (e.g. the armed forces, the police and paramilitary forces, the intelligence services and similar bodies; judicial and penal institutions) and the elected and duly appointed civil authorities responsible for control and oversight (e.g. Parliament, the Executive, the Defence Ministry, etc.).” (OECD/DAC, 2001). These must be accountable to the public.

Subjecting the security sector to democratic, civil control must be viewed as critically important. In the absence of civil – or state – control, the security forces are able to act with impunity in both the economic and political spheres, with negative consequences for both human development and human security. Civil control by itself, however, is not adequate over the years, the trajectory tells us that in the absence of accountability to the public, the state can direct its security forces to act in ways that are inimical to human development and human security, for example by preventing the development of participatory systems of government, by systematically abusing human rights, increased corruption and by preventing all but the most privileged from sharing in the fruits of economic growth. Even though it is important to broaden participation, the poor and the vulnerable are usually excluded in security matters making them objects instead of subjects of security policy.

Participatory democratic decision-making processes must be seen as fundamental precondition for the proper functioning of the security sectors. This means that decisions about the content and implementation of security policy should always be part of government-wide consultative processes, and not just the responsibility of a handful of individuals in the security forces and the executive branch. In addition, civil society must work to fulfill three critical roles: first demand change, if required. Second, act as watchdogs, and third, provide technical input and professional advise. Where governments do not tolerate democratic participation in security decisions, security sectors cannot reflect the will of the people.

To be continued……….

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