The Deputy Director/Head of Programs at Ghana National Commission on Small Arms, Asante-Twum Johnson has hinted that, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, are major threats to peace and security not only in Ghana but the sub-Region in general.
He made this known during an interview at the National Counter-lED Preparedness and Response Capability Maturity Model Self-Assessment programme held in Accra
A lot of IEDs he indicated, are being used to cause mayhem in hotels and public gathering by extremist and terrorist elements which therefore, need an immediate steps to ensure that proliferation is prevented in Ghana.
“First of all, we need to conduct an assessment of the state of IEDS proliferations in Ghana. Usually when you say IEDs, it is difficult to say this is an IEDs unless it have been put together. What is it that is being used to make the IEDs”.
He averred that base on the extent of proliferation and the situation, counter IEDs measures can be developed to deal with it.
The next point he raised has to do with the need to give training to the security personnel saying, even though, the security are well trained but said after an assessment have been done and have come out with the result, the security have to be informed on how to plan their training to deal with it.
“You need a legislative Instrument and a regulatory measure that would help you deal with it. Most a times, we talk but when it comes to the issues of laws and regulations, you need it to be able to deal with it because, this is not only a local matter but international as well and therefore, when you are dealing with it, you need a robust regulation. It also required that the Judicial Service and the Criminal justice system need to be trained on the issue to properly understand the context of Improvised Explosive Device and measures that need to be taken into deal with them”.
Ghana Mr. Asante-Twummentioned, has not experiencing anything linked with Improvised Explosive Device yet but said, it is important that we don’t become swallow headed and think that nothing can happen added that, we need to put measures in place to prevent it from happening.
“If unfortunately it happens, we must find a way of ensuring that the extent of damage is minimized. This are the measures that we need to put in place which include, the down streem measures of training, security responses etc that need to be done”.
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack is the use of a “homemade” bomb and/or destructive device to destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract.
IEDs are used by criminals, vandals, terrorists, suicide bombers, and insur-
gents.
IEDs comes in many forms, ranging from a small pipe bomb to a sophisticated device capable of causing massive damage and loss of life.
IEDs can be carried or delivered in a vehicle; car-ried, placed, or thrown by a person; delivered in a package; or concealed on the roadside.
IEDs consist of a variety of components that include an initiator, switch, main
charge, power source, and a container. It may be surrounded by or packed with additional materials or “enhancements” such as nails, glass, or metal frag-ments designed to increase the amount of shrapnel propelled by the explosion.
Many commonly available materials, such as fertilizer, gunpowder, and hydrogen peroxide, can be used as explosive materials in IEDs.
The extent of damage caused by an IED depends on its size, construction, and placement, and whether it incorporates a high explosive or propellant. Table 2 predicts the damage radius based on the volume or weight of explosive (TNT equivalent) and the type of bomb.
