President Akufo-Addo, has assured the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, and the entire leadership of the Ghana Police Service of Government’s unwavering support in order to build a world class and an enviable police service.
Addressing senior officers of the Police Service and other attendees at a ceremony held at the forecourt of the Police headquarters on Tuesday, 21 February 2023, to present new logistics to the Service, President Akufo-Addo, said there is visible evidence that the country’s Police Service under the current leadership, is fully in charge of the security of the interior and they have to be supported to do even more.
“We can all testify that, under your leadership, our Police Service is undergoing a great improvement and a change of image before our very eyes. Gradually, the Police have brought order to the roads, and we all now know that the law is no respecter of persons or vehicle types.
“[The whole country wants] this to continue, and you should always remember that you have the support of the President of the Republic in the conduct of your important duties” President Akufo-Addo said.
Innovative measures
President Akufo-Addo in his statement indicated that he was aware of the several innovative measures deployed by the Police Administration to help improve security across the country.
One important example of the measures according to the President is the specialised anti-robbery taskforces, spread across what used to be crime hotspots in the country. This deployment by the Police Service, the President said, has led to a significant reduction of violent crimes in the nation.
“We are all witnesses to the increase in police visibility, which has contributed to improved police response time. Instilling discipline on our roads is one other area the police has made a lot of gains.
“Through the Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (Operation PAARI) and The Police Invisible Eye (TIPE) Programme, we now see that most motorbike riders stop at traffic lights for their own safety and the safety of other road users,” Akufo-Addo said.
“Indeed, the incidents of abuse of sirens have greatly reduced, especially within Accra. The good news is that, through these road safety-targeted interventions, for the first time in a long time, our nation has recorded a twenty percent (20%) decrease in the number of persons killed through road accidents and crashes. [This, is highly commendable and] I know we can do even more” he added.
Police logistics
Touching on the logistics he presented to the Police Service which included 100 pick-up vehicles, 600 motorbikes and 6 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles, President Akufo-Addo said the latest support to the service is evidence of Government’s commitment to the continuous retooling of the Police in order to support their resolve to secure the security of the interior.
“[Government’s efforts aimed at retooling the Police] is borne out of the fact that the Police plays a critical role in the development of our country, hence the need to ensure that the Police Service is adequately resourced to discharge its duties for the safety and security of all of us, as well as for the growth of economic activity” President Akufo-Addo said.
Headquarters face-lift
President Akufo-Addo as part of his visit commissioned the face lift given to some of the infrastructure at the headquarters of the Ghana Police Service. Among others, the service has reconstructed its main entrance and has renovated several building facilities as well.
The President in his address acknowledged the numerous renovations and changes that have been carried out on the frontage and the immediate surroundings of the Police Headquarters – the reconstruction of the walls around the headquarters, the remodeling of the gates and the renovation of the CID building.
“The landscaping around the entire building and on your premises will not go unnoticed. I dare say, if we were to rank all public buildings now, the Police Headquarters will most likely emerge as one of the best in terms of the appearance of the surroundings” President Akufo-Addo said.
“I must say when an environment looks this beautiful and put together, it creates a sense of orderliness and discipline in the minds of its patrons. I commend the leadership of the Service for embarking on this renovation and facelift project,” he added.
From Wilberforce Asare
