The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh, has expressed his profound appreciation to the Akufo-Addo government for meeting a good number of wide-ranging logistical and other needs of the Ghana Police Service as it works to discharge its constitutional mandate.
According to the IGP, the provision of logistics and the implementation of a number of policies and programmes have not only increased the operational efficiency of the service, but also boosted the morale of personnel to a large extent.
Mr. Oppong-Boanuh expressed the appreciation of the service in a speech read on his behalf by the Commissioner of Police (COP), Prosper K. Agblor, Director-General in charge of Legal and Prosecutions, at the 2019 edition of the annual West African Security Services Association (WASSA) celebration of the Ghana Police Service held on Friday, 7th February 2020 in Accra.
“On behalf of the men and women of the Ghana Police Service, I want to express our deep appreciation to government for the ongoing efforts to resource the service. With these resources, we can more confidently discharge our duties to the good people of Ghana,” he stated.
Addressing the gathering earlier, Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also Chairman of the Police Council, outlined a long list of measures and interventions provided by the Akufo-Addo government since it assumed office three years ago to make the service more efficient.
He mentioned the promotion of over 20,000 personnel across all the ranks, the procurement of over 700 multi-purpose vehicles, ongoing construction of 320 housing units at the National Police Training School in Accra, and a substantial increase in the compensation paid to the families of personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty, among other measures.
“A number of capacity-building courses were funded by government to equip officers, including detectives with requisite knowledge and skills to work effectively and to keep pace with the complexities of contemporary policing.
“Government also procured a large number of weapons, body armour vests, body cameras and motorbikes for the service. We have also procured three helicopters, created the Airborne Unit and internally recruited six constables who are currently undergoing training in South Africa to become pilots for the service. Fifteen personnel were also taken to South Africa to undergo training to establish the Canine (K9) unit,” he added.
Vice-President Bawumia urged the police and other security agencies to uphold the highest form of professionalism, especially in the fight against increasingly sophisticated criminal networks as we head for the December 2020 elections.
“The public will only provide you with credible information when they trust their officers, when they feel respected by officers of the Police Service, and when they feel that their civil liberties and human rights are fully guaranteed.
“Therefore, you can only be effective and efficient in the discharge of your mandate if you remain professional, accountable and responsive to the needs of the citizenry.
“It is our expectation as government and citizens that you would selflessly continue to undertake your constitutional mandate with professionalism for the good people of Ghana,” he said.
BY Linda Tenyah-Ayettey