IGP receiving keys to the speedboat from Samuel Ahiadeke. INSET: The speedboat
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, has presented a speedboat to the Marine Police Unit which is under the Tema Regional Police Command to combat crime in the country’s territorial waters.
The speedboat, which was financed by Samuel Ahiadeke, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vision 2000 Group of Companies, was retrofitted by Banlex Engineering & Marine Systems, a local marine construction, welding and fabrication company at Ashaiman.
Speaking at the presentation held last Friday, the IGP disclosed that crime has become very sophisticated in the country and that the Ghana Police Service must be provided with the requisite logistics.
“Combating crime in our territorial waters needs an effective and efficient boat for that purpose,” he mentioned.
“Our borders do not end at the ports but cover our territorial waters which is about 200 nautical miles, it therefore important that the Ghana Marine Police extends its services in the waters and rivers.
“We have to be mobile in order to do that, the support from Mr. Samuel Ahiadeke of Vision 2000 to get our boats retrofitted cannot be appreciated enough. We are thankful for such a patriotic and philanthropic gesture.”
Mr. Asante-Appeatu used the occasion to express his gratitude to Banlex Engineering Company for building the boat.
He further intimated that Banlex Engineering Company undertook professional work based on the results.
“We hope that this collaboration takes us far to have more of our boats retrofitted and built. It’s my outermost wish for us to collaborate and ensure effective law enforcement both onshore and offshore,” he declared.
Mr. Samuel Ahiadeke, in an interview with the media, asserted that protecting territorial waters is significant to the security of every country.
“Upon seeing the boat in a dilapidated condition, I spoke to the Marine Police to have the boat given to Banlex Engineering Company to retrofit it which I paid for,” he indicated.
This, according to him, would go a long way to improve security in the country’s waters.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema