Low public trust in the intelligence institutions has been the main feature that undermines peace and security operation in Ghana. Without public trust, intelligence becomes isolated, reactive, and ineffective.
Trust is not luxury but rather the foundation of national security. Low trust in our intelligence institutions reduces community corporations in information sharing that could have combat organized crimes, deter and refrain crime syndicates with the failure of citizens reporting suspicious activity, or sharing vital local intelligence based on mistrusting the intelligence services.
Politicalization of intelligence institutions undermines the rule of law, in instance, where intelligence services are seen with political inclination, abusive, or promoting particular interest, there would be the loss of public interest in informing of vital and sensitive information to them breeding community silence. Local crimes and their successfulness are a result of disinformation by community members based on mistrusting intelligence services.
These lapses possibly slow modernization and operational efficiency in the aspect of effectiveness of intelligence reforms that could help the intelligence agencies to build upon strategies that would help maintain peace and stable security. Well-intentioned reforms or new initiatives may still face resistance once the public assumes it will be misused.
Intelligence services should operate with jackets on public information, free from political direction to build an external trust that can foster whistle-blowers to reach their doors, and every information received would be needed for national security.