BACKGROUND OF THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Government Security Office (GSO) is mandated to ensure Security of Government/Vital installations in the Country/Missions abroad & the implementation of the explosives Act.

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The office has dual reporting channel in the implementation of its tasks, i.e. on the Policy & administration aspects, it reports directly to Permanent Secretary MIA and on the operationally aspects, it reports to IGP under its internal structure at Directorate of Counter Terrorism Police.

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KEY FUNCTIONAL AREAS

• Keep government security, instruction under review and make necessary amendments in light of current threats to national security
• Collaborate with other security organizations in the conduct of any inquiry into suspected breach of security in any Gov’t Dept. or institutions
• Ensure vetting of all civil servants plus other persons who occupy sensitive Gov’t/ Public posts
• Conduct annual security inspections of all Gov’t MDAs, Offices, Missions abroad, key installations and make recommendations for improvement where necessary.
• Promote and coordinate protective security arrangements in MDAs.
• Make arrangements for training of personnel in all Gov’t MDAs who have access to Gov’t classified information.
• Coordinate activities of security officers employed at all sensitive privately owned installations such as Banks, Hotels, etc. and provide professional advice and assistance as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain a data base of key points & installations which are vulnerable and places of which are also vulnerable to acts of violence and ensure in cooperation with appropriate authorities that adequate measures are taken for their security.
• Ensure that explosives are imported into & out of the country through established laws and regulations.
• Ensure that explosives are transported, stored, used according to established laws & regulations.
• Coordinate national explosives control committee meetings
• Issue magazine license & blasters’ permit to duly qualified explosive blasters and established explosives magazines respectively on the behalf of PS-MIA