Security Expert: Only Few African Countries Are Prepared To Fight Terrorists

Questions have been raised by many if Ghana�s security forces are equipped to manage any form of terrorist attack similar to the recent incident that hit the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack saw men, women and children being slaughtered if they could not recite the Koran or name the mother of the Prophet Mohammed. About 70 people are reported to have died with hundreds sustaining various degree of injuries. The dead include renowned Ghanaian poet and novelist, Prof Kofi Awoonor, who was shot several times. His son, Afedzi Awoonor, who was with him, however, survived gunshot wounds. The former member of the Council of State was in Kenya to attend a literary festival in Nairobi but decided to pass by the mall with his son. Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Kenyan officials say some 10 to 15 militants were involved. A security analyst, Emmanuel Sowatey, is asking questions about Ghana�s preparedness to combat any terrorist attack. He also believes most African countries will find it difficult to battle any insurgent or guerrilla attack. He however singled out South Africa as the only country likely to win a war against terrorists. �I think very few African countries will be prepared, very few countries. In Africa, maybe only South Africa and even with that, I am not too sure about that. Only very few countries are prepared,� he said. �Let�s take our African troops (sent) to Mali recently as an example. The way they handled the situation there is a factor. The fact is, we need training, we need the logistics and we need the support. I don�t think our security agencies have that,� he added. Speaking on Adom FM, Mr. Sowatey alleged that, afore, because there was no accountability regarding funds allocated to the security agencies by government, the monies were misappropriated. �In the past, a lot of funds were sent to the security sector. There was poor oversight in terms of how the funds were used. There was virtually no accountability. Now our security agencies are not too well equipped and we cannot blame any particular government but we can blame all the previous government. ��We need a special forces and it is the ability of the state to provide them with logistics and other resources for training. Though it�s expensive but if we think it�s too expensive, then we should try insecurity. Ghanaians should be vigilant,� he opined.