The National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), has allegedly ordered the dismissal of a number of staff of the organization, the Daily Guide reports. According to the paper about 80 persons had received their dismissal letters which bore the signature of the Ag. Deputy National Security Coordinator, K.D. Dankwa as at yesterday. The dismissals are sequel to an exercise undertaken by the security organization earlier, during which individual staff took turns to be interviewed about how and when they were employed. At the time the exercise commenced, it made headlines in the media and compelled many to ask whether those dismissed do not deserve as Ghanaians to be engaged in certain organizations in their own country. The second paragraph of a sample dismissal letter headed, “Notice Of Termination Of Appointment” reads, “I wish to inform you that as a sequel to the personnel security background check exercise conducted recently for staff of the National Security Council Secretariat…is to be terminated with effect from 31st August 2009.” Most of those dismissed are ex-soldiers who have served notice of seeking a court intervention to ensure that what is due them does not elude them. “You may exercise the option being paid in lieu of the notice herein, in which case you would be required to apply for such payment in lieu of notice. You are to contact the Director of Administration to work out your leave entitlement, to enable you enjoy it prior to the termination. H.E., the President, and the National Security Co-ordinator have asked me to convey to you their appreciation for your dedicated and loyal service to the Republic of Ghana,” the dismissal letter continued. The Gbevlo-Lartey-directed National Security Organisation Secretariat, since its assumption of office, has employed 120 persons; the breakdown of which number is 50 for Tema Port; 50, Kotoka International Airport; and 20, Tema Oil Refinery. Since the assumption of power by President John Evans Atta Mills, staff of the National Security Organisation have been sitting on tenterhooks, expecting a mass dismissal exercise to be undertaken. When the screening exercise therefore started, many of the apprehensive workers felt the time had come for some of them to be fired. During the screening exercise, the department was particularly interested in the period the officers were engaged and even though they were not directly asked about their political allegiance, this was an area the interviewers sought to extract subtly from their interviewees. During the previous political administration, the organization was made up of a motley of Ghanaians from various political backgrounds, DAILY GUIDE has reliably learnt.