Government is doing all in its power to provide the necessary logistics and resources to the Ghana Police Service to enable it discharge its duties effectively, especially in the wake of reports of indiscipline and lawlessness.
Practical support, such as increased recruitment, rehabilitation and equipping of police stations across the country to standardize the infrastructure, as well as provision of protective gear, guns and ammunition would soon receive prominent attention.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia announced these measures when he read a speech on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the 47th Cadet Officers’ Graduation Parade at the National Police Training School at Tesano, Accra on Friday February 9, 2018.
In all, 132 Cadet Officers were commissioned to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police.
“We aim to build a robust, effective, efficient and disciplined police force. The policy of my government on law and order is to focus more on proactive and preventive policing, rather than reactive. We will do so by increasing both visibility and capacity. An initial amount of GH¢800 million, in the short term, will support the important task of reducing crime and increasing public safety
“Negotiations have just been completed for the rollout of Phase II of the Alpha Project, which will involve the deployment of 8,700 CCTV cameras in all 216 districts, with three command centres in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale.”
He continued: “In line with our plans to equip the Police better, at least, 1,000 new vehicles will be procured for the service this year. Already 200 pick-up vehicles have been allocated under Operation Calm Life, with 200 saloon vehicles to be delivered in six weeks’ time, with more to come.”
“We are also on course to set up Special Police Units. Resources have been allocated for police kits, including protective gear and adequate quantities of other essential equipment, including guns and ammunitions. We also expect the Police to strengthen engagement with the communities they serve. We see that as being a more sustainable way of reducing crime,” President Akufo-Addo emphasized.
Government, President Akufo-Addo stated, was also working with the police administration to significantly increase the numbers of the police in a bid to better the Police-Population ratio.
“This year alone, our programme is to recruit 4,000 more police personnel. We know that what matters most is not the number of police officers we recruit, but the number of officers we deploy, and how effectively they are deployed. We are improving the data analytics of the service to make policing more efficient and alive to modern trends in crime.”
The President challenged officers and men of the Ghana Police Service to work hard at redeeming its image, with the Service consistently ranked low in the annual corruption perception rankings of the Afrobarometer Survey.
“This is not right and it can no longer be the status quo. Citizens can only have confidence in the Police Service when our men and women in uniform are seen to be honest and would enforce the law without fear or favour.
“We all sleep, feeling safe, when the men and women of the Police Service work to keep our nation and our streets safe. The issue of law and order is particularly germane at this time when indiscipline, lawlessness and outbreaks of mob justice are threatening the rule of law.”
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