Reverend Dr Franklin Kwesi Biney, Director of Royal Kingdom Security Network Limited, a private security firm, has called on private security companies to ensure a thorough background check of persons they engage to avoid recruiting criminals.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on Monday, the Director noted that some of the guards end up as armed robbers after undergoing training, which he said is a threat to national security.
"Some of the people enlisted by the security companies for training may be frustrated people, drunkards or drug addicts and such people are difficult to be controlled or to be changed," he stressed.
Dr Biney said private guards should have good principles, the fear of God and must be well informed to keep them abreast of current development in their profession.
He emphasised that security guards must look decent and have good personal relationship with members of the public.
He asked the public to co-operate with private guards who are complementing the efforts of state security agencies and should also be vigilant to report people of dubious character they come across.
Dr Biney urged the association of private security organisations to give in-service training to update the knowledge of their personnel and advised them to exhibit good conduct and not to interfere in the private affairs of their clients.
The establishment of private security companies is very good in terms of creating employment especially for the youth especially, Dr Biney said.
He called on the Ministry of the Interior to ensure that private security companies operate with licenses to avoid unprofessional and low quality services.
Dr Biney noted that considerable number of the security firms are operating without licenses and asked the ministry to stop them from operating.