The release of terror alert is unnecessary – President Mahama

President John Mahama

President John Mahama has chastised the National Security Council for what he describes as the unfortunate release of a terror alert by the council.

The National Security Council released a detailed security alert document on Wednesday indicating a possible terror attack on Ghana to the regional security councils in the country.

Portions of the alert read: “Intelligence gathered by the National Security Council (NSCS), indicates a possible terrorist attack on the country is real.”

The alert also stated that the terrorists enter a country with their explosives and weapons by concealing them.

“They enter through approved and unapproved entry points. In the Ivorian attacks they reportedly entered from Mali using Niger register 4×4 vehicle. They reportedly concealed their weapons and grenade in the vehicles compartment for spare tyres, padded with cushions and bubbled wraps to keep them stable and prevent noise”.

But President Mahama said it was unnecessary for the alert to be leaked to the media by the security agencies.

“I think that we must deal with this without creating panic amongst our people and that is why the stories we see in the papers today are most unfortunate.”

This notwithstanding, he indicated that Ghana has formed alliances with other West African countries to help prevent any possible terrorist attack in the country.

Meanwhile the Information Services Department (ISD) has begun a two-week Terror Alert campaign across the Volta Region in respect of possible terrorist attacks on Ghana.

Volta Regional Information Officer Cephas Aggor says Mobile Cinema vans have been deployed to all districts in the region to sensitize the public on the need to report strange people and characters to the police or traditional rulers.