One of the major cons of Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey, former National Security Coordinator, was his activism and open style approach to operations, according to the Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr.
Per the Security and Intelligence Agency Act 1996:19, the functions of a national security coordinator are as follows:
-Coordinate on a day to day basis the activities of the national, regional and district security councils and the activities of the intelligence agencies
-Collate and evaluate intelligence report relating to the national security and ensure dissemination of information within the government as appropriate
-Determine in consultation with the Directors of Intelligence agencies, the manpower level requirements of the intelligence agencies
-Assist the relevant intelligence agency to gather defence intelligence both internal and external and use the information to detect and prevent threat to the security of the state
-Perform such other functions relating to the functions specified in this section as the President or the council of state may direct
Based on the afore-mentioned core duties of the security head, Kweku Baako posited that Gbevlo Lartey�s penchant to engage in media war and respond to every issue that came up in the media as far as his outfit was concerned, was uncharacteristic of a National Security Capo.
Reacting to the dismissal of Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey (rtd), as National Security Coordinator, Kweku Baako averred on Wednesday�s edition of �Kokrokoo� on PeaceFM that even though the National Security capo might have performed to the best of his abilities, �I have a problem with his activist profile of operation�.
Government, through the Information and Media Relations Ministry, issued a statement on Tuesday, indicating that Mr. Yaw Donkor of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has been appointed to replace Col. Gbevlo-Lartey effective May 12, 2014.
The statement, signed by the sector Minister, Mahama Ayariga, also said that Col. Gbevlo-Lartey will be re-assigned to a yet-to-be named designation.
Contributing to a panel discussion on the show, Kweku Baako said: �He has done his bit but for me his problem was the activist open approaches; taking part in public debate, arguing with people on almost every issue that came up. That for me was a lapse. How many of the former security operators were responding to issues on air. The worse was the Legon toll booth demolition; which was totally inappropriate. I won�t also say that these are the reasons the President has asked him to move on; I don�t have the facts but he was becoming a problem for many sections of the public in terms of his approach to some of these things unlike the previous national security operators.�
Kweku Baako was however hopeful that Gbevlo Lartey�s successor, Yaw Donkor, will not be engaging in any media war because of his quiet nature.
�Mr Yaw Donkor is the quiet type and I can clearly see in my mind�s eye that he will not be the activist-talking type; that is not his nature,� he mentioned.
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