The new regions are in the Ashanti and the Eastern regions, which have two each, and the Western, Central and Volta regions, each of which has an additional Regional Police Command.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, gave the names as the Ashanti North and the Ashanti South Police regions in the Ashanti Region and the Eastern North and the Eastern South region in the Eastern Region.
The rest are the Volta North Region in Volta Region, the Western Central Region in the Western Region and the Central North Police Region in the Central Region.
The IGP explained that the creation of more regions was to bring policing closer to the people.
He said breaking the existing regions into smaller units would ensure that policing and law enforcement as a whole would get to the doorstep of every community.
Background
The seven new police regions bring to 25 the number of Police National Administrative regions.
All the new regions are working effectively.
Until the creation of the Central East Police Region (Kasoa and surrounding communities) carved from the Greater Accra and the Central regions in August last year and the regional commands for the six newly created regions in the country, the youngest police region had been Tema, which was carved out of Accra in 1966.
Breakdown
The Ashanti Region is now made up of three police regions.
The Ashanti North Police Region has its headquarters in Mampong, while the Ashanti South Region has its headquarters in Bekwai, to complement the existing Ashanti Police Region with its headquarters in Kumasi.
Ashanti North, under the command of DCOP Anderson Fosu-Ackaah, is made up of four police divisions, 13 police districts, and 45 police stations and posts.
The Ashanti South, which is commanded by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Eric Ken Winful, has four divisions, 14 districts and 63 stations and posts.
The new Volta North Police Region has its headquarters in Hohoe, and together with the existing Volta Police Region, with its headquarters in Ho, the number of police regions is now two.
The Volta North command is made up of two police divisions, four police districts, and eight police stations and posts, with DCOP Edward Faakye Kumi as the Regional Commander,
The Eastern Region now has three police regions.
The Eastern North Region has its headquarters in Mpraeso, while the Eastern South Region has Kibi as its regional headquarters, to complement the existing Eastern Police Region, which has its headquarters in Koforidua.
Eastern North, commanded by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Isaac Asante, has three police divisions, six districts, 17 police stations, and posts.
DCOP Felix Kwasi Cosmos is the Eastern South Regional Commander.
The command has three police divisions, 16 districts, as well as 52 police stations, and posts.
In the Western Region, the police commands are now two, with the creation of the additional Western Central Region, with its headquarters in Tarkwa.
The existing command, Western Region, has its headquarters in Sekondi.
Western South, commanded by DCOP Desmond Owusu Boampong, has two police divisions, eight police districts and 29 police stations and posts.
The Central North Police Region has its headquarters in Assin Fosu.
It is under the command of DCOP Emmanuel Teye-Cudjoe and has two police divisions, seven districts, and 30 police stations and posts.
Effective police coverage
Dr Dampare further explained that the creation of the new police regions would necessitate the establishment of more police divisions, districts, stations and posts to ensure that police presence was felt in every corner of the country and no space was left unpoliced.
“The national administrative regions are vast and densely populated, resulting in a situation where some areas are left unpoliced,” he said.
In such situations, criminal elements were able to engage in criminal activities, to the discomfort of the public, the IGP added.
He said the existing Police Regional commands were unable to effectively supervise those regions due to their vast nature.
Context
The creation of the Tema Police Region in 1966 and quite recently the Central East Police Region (Kasoa and surrounding communities) carved from the Greater Accra and the Central regions in 2021 had immensely aided in effective and efficient policing in those areas, the Police Administration said.
“The creation of these new regions is, therefore, expected to achieve similar results,” it added.
Dr Dampare gave an assurance that the Police Administration would continue to work with all relevant stakeholders for the full actualisation of the objectives of the initiative.
He added that the aim was to contribute to effective policing across the country.