He was speaking at a sensitisation workshop on national security strategy for judges on Thursday.

Mr Dapaah said justice was often ignored in the conversation about national security.

The National Security Minister told judges that their work matters in protecting the rights of individuals.

While expressing concern about national security threat such as terrorism in neighbouring African countries, Mr Dapaah said that Ghana was safe.

But, he added that the stable and peaceful condition in Ghana should not be taken for granted.

He said the work of the National Security Ministry and that of the Judiciary were inextricably linked and that the two institutions must work together. 

For his part, the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, commended the National Security Minister for the partnership between the two institutions to create a just and secure country.

 He said the unveiling of a new integrated national security strategy came to address the previous situation where “we had several, fragmented policies in response to the various threats and circumstances that border on our national security.”

He said in the evolving global situation where the threats were manifold and diverse, this was a critical intervention to “make all of us sleep a little bit better at night.”

The Chief Justice conceded that the ministry alone could not be entirely responsible for the implementation of this document.

“As the guardians of the law and justice in our country,  I believe it is only right and proper that we are fully engaged,” Justice Yeboah added.

He noted that the judiciary played a critical role in the national security infrastructure.

The Chief Justice said the decisions taken by the national security officials must be lawful and where there was conflict between the rights of individuals and the security of the state, it was the courtroom where the conflicts were resolved. 

BY MALIK SULLEMANA