PAC unhappy about operations of private security companies

The Public Accounts Com­mittee (PAC) of Parliament has expressed worry about what it described as “seem­ing lack of control and monitoring” of operations of private security companies in the country.

According to the PAC, the absence of effective monitoring and control mechanisms to check activities of private security compa­nies could jeopardise the country’s security.

It has therefore, urged the Ministry of the Interior to put in place an effective system to ensure that only registered and licensed companies operate in the country.

Speaking in Accra, on Friday, when officials of the Ministry appeared before the com­mittee, Chairman of PAC, Dr James Klutse Avedzi, said that the current situation put the lives of unsuspecting persons who employ the services of security companies in danger.

“It also shows that the failure on your part to monitor these security companies; a private security company could be operating illegally, and the citizens will think that these people have legal licenses to operate, yet they don’t. So there’s a big challenge there; it’s a security matter,” he said.

Dr Avedzi noted that some private security companies have not renewed their licences and were operating illegally.

He said “A lot of people engage these pri­vate security companies to guard their houses. If you are failing to monitor them, if it’s now being shown that most of them don’t renew their licences, then we have a big challenge.”

Dr Klutse advised the Ministry to pay attention to the monitoring of private security companies since their activities was in support of its mandate.

Led by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Naana Eyiah, the Ministry was present to respond to a report which found that, out of the 674 registered private security companies, 443 failed to renew their licence for the 2022 financial year, resulting in revenue loss of GH¢886,000.00 to the state.

This, the report indicated, was due to inad­equate controls and directed the Ministry to take steps to recover the funds

“During our review of records, we noted that 674 private security companies had registered with the Ministry of Interior, but 443 companies failed to renew their license for the 2022 financial year due to inadequate controls leading to a revenue loss of GH¢886,000.00 to the state,” according to the report.

It recommended that the Chief Director of the Ministry should recover the amount of GH¢886,000.00 from the defaulting companies and pay same into the Auditor General’s Recoveries Account with Bank of Ghana, failing which the amount should be recovered from the Chief Director.

The report also mentioned that the Chief Director should strengthen its monitoring role over the operations of the Private Secu­rity Companies and ensure that all operating companies renew their licenses annually.”

Member of the Committee, Yusif Sulemana, decried the lack of sanction regime for private security companies that defaulted in licensing with the ministry, saying that the state was losing revenue as a consequence.

On the recovery of revenue, Naana Eyiah, said GH¢88,000 had been collected so far from 43 private security companies.

The ministry is expected to submit to the committee, within this week, an accurate data on the number of registered private security companies and confirm those licensed and those operating without licence.

 BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS

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