The strength of the Ghana Police Service has continued to increase steadily over the years due to several recruitment exercise undertaken by the service.
While this may be good for the country in terms of enhancing the protection of lives and property, little attention is being given to the welfare of the policemen themselves, as some of their barracks are full of filth.
The Adabraka Barracks, Kaneshie Barracks, Mamprobi Barracks, Accra Central Barracks, the Winneba Police Station and others are no exception.
These aforementioned barracks leave bad impression about the service on the minds of new visitors that sprawl these settlements.
Aside the building being in bad shape, hygienic condition is very poor.
The areas have been left unkempt, with over flowing soak-aways, and most residents have no choice than to connect the foul smelling waste to open drainage.
The Police Station of Winneba itself is not exceptional.
The overflowing waste water and foul smell cannot be best described.
Some personnel and complainants find it difficult having fresh air to breath due to the foul smell from their septic tanks and drains.
Its streets are almost impassable, as the roads are mostly flooded during the rainy season, leaving most residents in peril.
A resident at Winneba Barracks, who will wish to be called Attah Kofi, described the area as “a jungle not suitable for humans to even work.”
He said, “This area is a slum for policemen and their families. We have been condemned to this place as peace officers.”
Attah Kofi said no senior officer instructs the occupants to keep the place clean.
“The district commander in the area is aware of the problem but like the attitude of Ghanaians, we are just waiting for the police administration to come and clean the area for us.”
He said the streets are often flooded because the drainages are usually blocked and smell badly.
“We struggle with mud on the streets and many cars get stuck in it. That is the reality in this area,” said Attah.
Police personnel at the police station told the paper on condition of anonymity that living in the barracks is not easy.
“We are at the risk of contracting diseases due to the open drainage and leaking sewage lines.
He said the poor environment has also encouraged the breeding of rodents which threaten the lives of residents.
A cross-section of residents, who spoke to the paper, decried the total neglect of the barracks by the Police administration.
A senior police officer once told the paper that formerly at the barracks, senior police officers living among the junior personnel were able to instruct them to carry out communal labour to clean the area.
Now that thing is no more. Personnel do whatever they like. Senior personnel among them are not respected because they are not directly under them. Discipline in the service has declined and personnel do whatever pleases them.