Francis Owusu (middle) with the four awardees
The Ashanti South Media Caucus has honoured four senior police officers for their exceptional contribution to peace, security and crime reduction in the Ashanti South jurisdiction and the wider Ashanti Region.
The officers are DCOP Joseph Hammond Nyaaba, Ashanti South Regional Commander; ASP Martin Amoah Kpentey, Bekwai South District Police Commander; Chief Superintendent Richmond Bonsu, Bekwai Divisional Police Commander; and Superintendent Stephen Antwi, Regional Crime Officer, Ashanti South Regional Police Command.
The recognition, according to the media caucus, was in appreciation of the officers’ professionalism, dedication and selfless service, which had helped to maintain law and order and improve security in the region.
Presenting the citations, President of the Ashanti South Media Caucus, Francis Owusu, popularly known in media circles as Barima Kwadwo (Bari-K), commended the officers for their relentless efforts to combat crime.
He said the police had worked hard to bring peace and security to the area while drastically reducing criminal activities.
Mr. Owusu expressed the hope that the recognition would encourage the officers to work even harder in the interest of the people they serve.
Commendation
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, DCOP Joseph Hammond Nyaaba expressed gratitude to the media caucus for the honour.
He described the citation as timely and said it served as an encouragement to the command to continue its efforts to protect lives and property.
“This is a timely citation for all of us, and we want to say thank you to the Regional Media Caucus of the Ashanti South Region for recognising our hard work,” he stated.
According to him, the relationship between the police and the media had been cordial, noting that continuous engagements between the two institutions had contributed to peace in the Ashanti South jurisdiction and the region at large.
DCOP Nyaaba said crime levels were relatively high when his administration took over, but the command had since intensified intelligence-led operations to deal with criminal activities.
He added that the jurisdiction had become calm, warning criminals to stay away from the area.
The commander disclosed that the command had been given the authority by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to extend its operations beyond its immediate boundaries within the region when necessary.
Media Role
DCOP Nyaaba also commended the media for helping to disseminate information on the activities and achievements of the police command.
He said the collaboration between the police and journalists was crucial to informing the public about security matters and building confidence in the police.
He described the citations as lasting legacies that the officers would cherish even after their retirement from the Ghana Police Service.
“Eventually, we shall all retire, and having these in our rooms, people can read them and witness what we came to do in the Ashanti South Command,” he said.
Citation
The citation presented to DCOP Nyaaba praised his exemplary leadership, professionalism and commitment to maintaining law and order following the elevation of the Ashanti South Police Command to regional status.
It noted that under his leadership, the command had recorded significant successes in crime prevention, the arrest of criminal elements and the recovery of firearms, ammunition and other offensive weapons.
The citation also commended his strategic leadership for strengthening intelligence-led operations and enhancing public confidence in policing.
His efforts in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, were also recognised, with the caucus noting that the operations had contributed to protecting the environment, water bodies and livelihoods of residents.
The media caucus said the honour was in appreciation of the officers’ outstanding service, dedication to duty and contribution to peace and security in the Ashanti South Region.
FROM David Afum, Bekwai