INTERVIEW WITH THE DGSS

….concluding part

Here is the concluding part of the interview we had with the Director
General State Services, Mr. AA Gadzama, OFR, mni, which was first
featured in the maiden edition of the Triple S. This session is quite
revealing. Enjoy yourself.

TS: Sir, how has the journey been one and half years after your
appointment?

DG SS: You will recall in the earlier interview with you, I stated that
our mission and major challenge are restoration and taking the Service to
the Next Level. Such a goal will definitely take a long time to achieve
simply because correcting the distractions, the distortions and digressions
of over twenty years will take a long time. But let me say that, daunting as
the challenges are, we have been able to, by the grace of God and the
understanding of Mr. President and the support of other stakeholders in the
National Security Establishment, met the expectations and the targets we set
ourselves.

TS: Can you talk of specific areas where exceptional achievements were
made?

DG SS: Let me briefly comment on the aspects of refocusing the

Service’s operations and acquisition of required logistics and tackling of
strategic national security challenges. Our efforts in giving the Service a
new direction, a new focus and redefining its operational focus are some
areas we have done well in. The Service is today operationally more
focused. We are more preoccupied with quietly tackling critical national
security challenges as opposed to the preoccupation with curbing activities
and tendencies that are integral ingredients of emerging democracies. The
new direction recognizes the fact that better management of certain
tendencies could in the long run be supportive to the growth of democracy.
At another level, the Service is today more preoccupied with security
challenges that are critical. We have no time for mundane issues. This
posture demands more emphasis on acquisition of critical intelligence. The

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absence of this, incidentally, was the bane of our previous efforts. I happen
to know that credible/critical intelligence drives the entire security
intelligence process. You can hardly succeed in any aspect of the job
without the required intelligence. I also believe that having intelligence that
explains the fundamentals or the deeper causative factors of happenings is
essential for effective security management. This is what the security
component of the Seven Point Agenda is all about. It is not about regime
protection. It is about security for the citizenry, security for the environment
and vital national resources and the protection of the country’s sovereignty
in all ramifications.

We have, with all sense of modesty, achieved much in the area of

rehabilitating our structures, acquisition of required logistics, and training.
I will rather these speak for themselves than to engage in self praise on
these achievements. But let me say that, I believe that having the most
exposed and knowledgeable human resource is the best investment in the
business. The members of staff are the most important resource available to
any organization. Their capability to deliver quality service depends, to
large extent, on how well they are trained and retrained. I cannot agree less
with Machiavelli who says “the best way to estimate the quality of a leader
is to first of all look at the people around him”. This is why we have
committed so much resources to training and staff development. Some
people have ridiculously thought they could use primary or secondary
school education or just number of years they have put in the Service to
competently deal with current security challenges. Some of the tools
required for managing security challenges in the twenty first century include
having the required detective and analytic flair, ability to have good
intelligence reading of situations and issues and technical platforms for
acquisition of critical intelligence.
I will also want to say that one of the areas of astounding success in
the last one and half years is that of engendering in our personnel the sense
of self worth, confidence and respect. You will recall that there was the
state of virtual siege in the Service at the time I took over. We have been
able to arrest this and would want to continue the rehabilitation process.

TS: The rehabilitation of the Training Schools is one area that seems to
have attracted your attention. How have you coped with the challenge?

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DG SS: I was compelled to focus on the rehabilitation and upgrading of
the Training Schools because as observed earlier, the prevailing security
environment is not only competitive but has become more challenging. As a
result, only a well exposed and well grounded operative can be effective.
Beside, the Training Schools are some of the impressive legacies
bequeathed on subsequent leadership by our founding fathers. Mark you,
some of us also passed through these schools in the 70s and 80s and knew
what exactly they were. To have neglected the schools all these years and to
treat the schools as if they were a liability is to me a mark of lack of
foresight and of deficient leadership. I, today, look back with satisfaction on
the tremendous achievements we have for example made by redeveloping
the Institute for Security Studies. I am convinced that the Institute will
remain the flagship and the first Institute in the country offering
professional security studies at degree level.

TS: So much is being said on how you were able to transform the Institute
for Security Studies into one of the best Security Institutes in the country.
What is the secret?

DG SS: As I said earlier, Institute for Security Studies was both a

challenge and a dream. You know, I am a student and practitioner of
change. The lessons are, if at any time and situation you are satisfied with
the status quo, you cannot move forward. That is the situation I found
myself in as regards the Institute for Security Studies. Secondly, I saw the
Institute as a critical component of my resolve to take the Service to the next
level. I wouldn’t succeed in my mission if I don’t have the human resource
base to translate the idea into reality. ISS is thus part of the change process
not only to the SSS but the National Security Establishment. I will also have
to acknowledge the immense support the National Security Adviser has
given us as regards the Institute. Our vision is for the Institute to, with time,
emerge as the engine room and intellectual base of the National Security
Establishment. This is why we have opened our doors to participants from
sister agencies. The Institute today has the best and latest books on security
and intelligence. The facilities there are also first class! Now talking of the
secret. The secret is simply vision, commitment and the desire to contribute

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one’s quota. We are proud of our contribution to the realization of Mr.
President’s vision for the country.

TS: Many, within and outside the Service, have attributed the giant strides
you have made in the last one and half years to your being an insider who
knows the system inside out and who knows where the shoe pinches. What
is your comment?

DGSS: I don’t think that is hundred percent correct. I would rather

see it this way. Firstly, I was given a mandate by the President and
Commander-In-Chief. This is the mandate to restore the Service to what it
should be and of course the professional discharge of our statutory
responsibilities. I definitely cannot afford to fail the President and the
Country. Failing will spell disaster for the Service and Government.
Secondly, I am inspired by the leadership style and qualities of Mr.
President. That is, quietly doing what is expected of one and the scrupulous
adherence to the rule of law.
I am convinced that our problem as a people and as a Nation is
disorderliness and non-conformity to best practices and lack of
transparency. Our successes this far is borne out of the posture of quietly
doing our job professionally. I don’t believe we should play to the gallery.
And this is why our effectiveness cannot be measured by the very often self
sponsored or orchestrated media accolades of others. Fortunately, my
Management team shares with me, this thought.
Thirdly, I believe in the philosophy that leadership is about service,
about contributing to National development and it is about contributing
one’s quota to the agenda of the Government. What we are doing is
providing the atmosphere required for realizing Mr. President’s Seven Point
Agenda and provision of secure environment for the citizenry to realize their
aspirations. I, therefore, believe that any leadership, either from outside or
within the Service, that is guided by these principles will succeed. I don’t
believe we made whatever impact we made simply because I come from
within the system, although that has contributed. We all can make success
of opportunities the Almighty God grants us if we have the vision,
commitment and determination to succeed.

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TS: It is said that the major shift and preoccupation of the Service now is
the acquisition of critical intelligence. What really does this entail?

DG SS: I have before now, noted that our major preoccupation is that
of restoring the Service to its original mandate and character. The
Government when it formed the defunct NSO never intended that it should
be another Police Force. On the contrary, the thinking was that the new
Organization then was to be a civilian Intelligence Service committed to
protecting the security of the State in all its ramifications. The
preoccupation with arrests, detention and related excesses over successive
years was therefore an aberration encouraged by the powers that be. The
restoration process is about going back to the original mandate. This is
about the Service quietly providing valued information that could be used to
serve the interest of the State. The Service is there to serve the people
through the Government of the day and not protecting a regime.

Now talking specifically of critical intelligence; Critical Intelligence

is any credible, relevant and actionable intelligence that could be deployed
for purposes of informed decision, tactical or strategic usage. At another
level is the realization that intelligence drives the entire security process.
Put differently, you cannot succeed in monitoring, investigation and
management of any security situation without credible intelligence. This is
why most security mishaps, breaches and incidents could be attributed to
defects and deficiencies in intelligence. The defects could be either in the
form of the quality, application or in timely use of intelligence. We are also
putting more into or emphasizing critical intelligence because security
management is not limited to physical measures. Policy advice and support
is a critical aspect of contemporary security management. Governance, we
are convinced, could be more responsible when Services like ours tell the
Government those things other advisers cannot or will not want to say.
Lastly, I am emphasizing critical intelligence because that is what is
required to deal with some of the challenges we are contending with.
Arrests, detentions and gagging of the citizenry, are old Machiavellian
strategies that are not tenable in the twenty-first century. We recognize the
fact that intelligence and especially Security reports is not about reporting
incidents in a shallow and superficial manner. Critical intelligence is about
hard and deeply useful information. This is what makes what we do
different from gossip and figments of some persons’ imagination. What I am

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saying is the critical intelligence we give the Government at all levels are
responsible for the decisions and actions of consumers that impact on the
life of the citizenry.

TS: What, in your view, are the problems of State Security Management
today?

DG SS: I will say the first problem has to do with understanding what
State Security entails. It is surprising that even persons in positions of
leadership who are consumers of our products and services don’t
understand that State Security is not synonymous with simple crime and the
Service is not another Police Force. There is also the problem of pretenders
and those who think security management is an all comer’s affairs. The
business is both a science and an art that is better discharged when you
acquire certain specialized skills and knowledge. No wonder we have
people peddling gossips and imaginations, as intelligence or security
reports.
The other problem is about capacity. This business is about
professionally sourcing valued information and the prompt deployment of
such information for attainment of specific objectives. Lack of the skill and
means at any stage of this circle could undermine all efforts.

There is of course also, the problem of poor appreciation of what

constitutes security. We are still at the stage of national development where
many see security from the pedestrian perspective of understanding it as
regime protection. The present leadership of the Service fortunately shares
the view that security is about development and the protection of the
citizenry, our environment and our sovereignty.

The other problem is of course poor funding. Security, we believe,

can be better if there is better funding and judicious use of what is available.
Low level of security consciousness and weak institutions and structures are
of course other problems. These I believe are some of the challenges of
effective security management.

TS: What do you have to say to Officers and Men of the Service?

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DG SS: They should remain focused and committed to redeeming the
pledge I made at the time I took over the mantle of leadership. This is the
commitment of taking the Service to the Next Level. The huge support,
patience and understanding have been the source of our success. I urge all
personnel to continue to give their support. I also want to say that what I
am doing is not about myself but about the Service and the country. Finally,
the year, 2009, by our estimation, will be very challenging due to the
convergence of global and domestic dynamics and stress. This requires
rededication and commitment on the part of all of us. This is my only
appeal to the personnel. Thank you.

N/B

This interview was by Service Research Group

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