The Interior Minister being assisted by the Inspector general of police, James Oppong Boanuah inspecting the architectural drawing of the project.
A sod-cutting ceremony for the commencement of work on a modern Formed Police Unit (FPU) and International Relations Directorate office complex of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has taken place at the National Police Training School at Tesano in Accra.
The GH¢12 million project is being undertaken by Kingspok Company Limited and is expected to be completed in nine months.
Upon completion, it will have offices for the commanding officer and deputies, offices for senior police officers, unit heads, general office, orderly room, special resource office, waiting room, conference room, armoury, logistics stores, syndicate rooms, ICT library and a gymnasium for the FPU.
In addition, the International Relations Directorate will have offices for the director and deputies, general office/orderly room, special resource office, waiting room, conference facilities, logistics stores, syndicate rooms and ICT Library.
The Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, whose speech was read on his behalf by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, said in spite of the significant role played by both the FPU and the International Relations Directorate of the GPS, office facilities available to them are inadequate.
He said that the FPU which is located at the National Police Training School has strength of more than 1,000 personnel performing national and international duties.
“The unit currently occupies two old inspectors’ quarters as office complex which affects effective harmonization of administrative and operational assignments, and it has thus become necessary to construct a new office to enhance operational activities which can accommodate both departments,” he said.
He assured personnel of government’s continuous commitment and support to the GPS to deliver on its core mandate of maintaining law and order.
“Government acknowledges the policy on FPU in UN Peace Operations which defines the conditions of deployment and the role and composition of FPUs deployed in UN peace operations,” he said.
He appealed to the contractors to meet the timelines for the GPS to fully benefit from the intended purpose of the building.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, in an address, said the complex task was being coordinated by the directorate of the International Relations Directorate of the GPS.
He said remarkable changes had taken place within the peacekeeping environment in the area of robust deployment as the appropriate roadmap to ensure sustainable peace and security.
Present at the ceremony were senior police officers and members of the Police Management Board and other personnel.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey