The Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), Dr Adam Bonaa, has dismissed suggestions that Ghana lacks the expertise to independently investigate and tackle complex criminal activities.

He insists that the country has highly competent security personnel and intelligence officers capable of handling sophisticated investigations, including operations involving international criminal networks.

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Speaking in an interview on GhanaWeb's Lowdown show, Dr Bonaa said foreign agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) depend on the cooperation of Ghanaian security institutions to operate effectively in the country.

“We are more capable. We are too capable,” he declared.

He maintained that although international agencies provide technical and other forms of assistance, investigations conducted within Ghana must involve the country's security authorities.

“My colleagues within the American Embassy who work with the FBI know this is not a secret. They know that the FBI, their work would amount to nothing without us in this country assisting them,” he said.

Dr Bonaa further stressed that Ghana is a sovereign state and that no foreign security agency can independently operate within its jurisdiction without the cooperation of local authorities.

“No international organisation can function in Ghana without the willing collaboration of the state called Ghana,” he added.

He cited Ghana's participation in regional and international security arrangements, including cooperation among West African countries to combat the proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons.

According to him, Ghana works with neighbouring countries through regional security arrangements to track illicit firearms and support investigations that could lead to arrests.

He also mentioned cooperation under the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as well as engagements involving the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Dr Bonaa said Ghana's collaboration with international partners should not be mistaken for a lack of local expertise.

He acknowledged that the country may face challenges with material resources but insisted that its human capacity is not in doubt.

“We have some of the best hands you would find anywhere in the world here in Ghana. So don't let anybody tell you that we don't have,” he stated.

He urged Ghanaians to recognise the capabilities of local security institutions while supporting international cooperation in the fight against organised crime.

NA/EA

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