The government has cut the sod for the construction of a helipad and hangar to accommodate the three helicopters purchased by government for the Ghana Police Service.
The 514-square meter facility located at the Police Deport close to the volleyball court of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) in Accra is expected to accommodate four helicopters upon completion in September.
During a brief ceremony, the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, said the police have been operating on land and sea, but the time has come for the service to also operate in the airspace to enhance policing.
He said the police always depend on the Ghana Air Force for ariel capability and getting their own choppers would help in the fight against crime.
“We are sending six Ghanaian police officers to South Africa from next month to train as pilots, and we are also going to train people who will take care of the engineering,” he hinted.
The minister confirmed that three choppers would soon land in the country.
The Inspector General of Police, David Asante Apeatu, said the Service is still ‘surprised’ with the announcement of the procurement of not one but three helicopters by President Akufo Addo.
“This will definitely revolutionise police operations. Men and women of the Service are in an ecstatic mood, as we await the arrival of the new helicopters.”
“The police administration commends government for her commitment to retooling the Service, but the acquisition of helicopters to strengthen our operational capacity is not just historic, but an inspiration towards our vision to become a world-class police organization capable of delivering planned, protective, democratic and peaceful services to meet standards of international best practice.”
Michaeal Asamaoh, a field engineer from Rizzle Consult, briefed the minister and senior police officers about the project.
It would be recalled that on March 22, 2019 during the 2018 West African Security Services Association (WASSA) celebration, President Akufo-Addo announced processes towards the procurement of three helicopters for the Ghana Police Service to the surprise of all.
New Vehicles
In a related development, the government, through the Minister of the Interior, has presented 64 new vehicles to the police service to enhance their mobility as well as operational capacity.
The vehicles included 20 Toyota Land Cruisers, 19 Toyota Hilux pickups and 25 Toyota Corolla saloon cars.
This is the third time President Akufo-Addo is presenting vehicles to the police administration since assuming office.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey