A heated debate has unfolded in Ghana’s political landscape following allegations by Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, a Member of Parliament, that two aircraft recently landed at Kotoka International Airport for purposes of drug trafficking and money laundering.
These claims have sparked a chain of events involving government investigations and public skepticism.
Private Legal Practitioner Nana Yaw Osei has weighed in on the controversy via his Facebook page, questioning the nature of intelligence claims.
Osei explained that in the context of security, intelligence involves the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information regarding potential threats.
He argued that anyone claiming to possess intelligence on an issue should be prepared to share that information with relevant authorities for action.
The astute lawyer outlined the expectations that the public has for anyone to possess intelligence. These are as follows:
- Once there’s a claim that a person has Intelligence on some issue, the claimant must have collected some information on the issue;
- The claimant must have analysed the information at his/her disposal; and
- The claimant after analysing the information must disseminate (share) the analysed information for same to be acted on by those with the requisite competencies to act on.
- So, if one claims publicly to have some Intelligence on an issue, the reasonable expectation is that he/she must be prepared to share same with others whose duty is it to act on the information.
Lawyer Nana Yaw Osei comments highlight the expectation that those making public claims of having intelligence should be ready to provide evidence or details to support their assertions.
Allegations and Government Response
Ntim Fordjour, citing intelligence he had received, made the allegations, prompting President John Mahama to order state institutions to collaborate with the MP to investigate the matter.
The President’s directive aimed to verify the authenticity of the claims and ensure transparency in the investigation process.
In response to the President’s order, Ntim Fordjour wrote to the chairman of the Interior and Defence Committee in Parliament, requesting that state security officers be summoned to brief the committee about the allegations.
However, the chairman replied, emphasizing that since Ntim Fordjour made the allegations, he should cooperate with the President’s directive by honoring the request to produce his intelligence.
Government Spokesperson Response
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a government spokesman, has provided an explanation for the presence of the aircraft in Ghana, dismissing Ntim Fordjour’s claims as false information.
According to Ofosu, the flights had legitimate purposes, contradicting the MP’s allegations of illicit activities.
Read the full post by Nana Yaw Osei Esq;
WHAT’S INTELLIGENCE?
“In security, “intelligence” refers to the COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, and DISSEMINATION of INFORMATION about potential threats and vulnerabilities to enable proactive and informed decision-making, ultimately enhancing an organization’s security posture.” – Google
- This means that once there’s a claim that a person has Intelligence on some issue, the claimant must have collected some information on the issue;
- The claimant must have analysed the information at his/her disposal; and
- The claimant after analysing the information must disseminate (share) the analysed information for same to be acted on by those with the requisite competencies to act on.
- So, if one claims publicly to have some Intelligence on an issue, the reasonable expectation is that he/she must be prepared to share same with others whose duty is it to act on the information.
Must this one be difficult to do?
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
