Mahama disappointed over terror alert leak

Graphic.com.gh Apr - 14 - 2016 , 13:21

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed dissatisfaction over the apparent lack of secrecy among the security agencies following the leak of a security signal [memo] that was meant for Regional Security Councils (REGSEC) on a planned terrorist attack in Ghana.

The security signal had been sent from National Security to the 10 regional security councils (REGSEC) confirming a planned terrorist attack on Ghana but it found its way into the media, an act, the President said could have been handled discreetly without necessarily causing fear and panic among citizens and described it as “unfortunate”..

A Malian terrorist said to be the brain behind the attack on the Grand Bassam resort in Ivory Coast who was being interrogated by Ivorian security officials is said to have confessed that there was a plan to attack Ghana and Togo.

Following that information, Ghana was put on red alert and as part of preparations to avert a possible attack, the security signal was sent to the regional councils.

But speaking to Sunrise Radio in Koforidua on Thursday, President Mahama said whoever put out that information should simply have issued a directive asking for alertness from the regional security agencies.

He said the message should not have been that detailed and that a simple alert would have been enough.

He said, "We must deal with this without creating fear and panic for our people and that’s why the story we see in the papers are most unfortunate. There was a signal from national security asking the regional security and others to be on the alert in the event of a possible threat.”

“Unfortunately in the signal that went to the regional security councils it indicated the intelligence that the national security was dealing with and I didn’t think that was necessary. We didn’t need to put the Intel in there. You just need to send the directive asking for alertness and asking them to search more thoroughly on vehicles and all that,” he added.