Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia inspecting the parade
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed that an amount of GH¢800 million has been allocated by government to help reduce crime and increase public safety in the country.
In addition, he stated that government was undertaking the rehabilitation of police stations across the country to standardise its infrastructure.
“Negotiations have just been completed for the rollout of phase II of the Alpha Project, which will involve the deployment of 8,700 CCTV cameras in all 216 districts, with three command centres in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale,” he revealed.
Dr Bawumia made this known during the passing out ceremony of 132 cadet officers at the police depot in Accra.
The cadet officers included 88 men and 44 females.
The officers, drawn from the medical services and general pool, were taken through six months intensive senior police officers courses to further equip them to take leading policing roles effectively.
Dr Bawumia, Chairman of the Police Council and also the reviewing officer, disclosed that “government is determined to give whatever support is required to ensure that we have the service that the people of Ghana deserve. In line with our plans to equip the police better, at least, 1,000 new vehicles will be procured for the service this year.”
He explained that 200 pick-up vehicles had already been allocated under ‘Operation Calm Life’, with 200 saloon vehicles to be delivered in six weeks’ time, with more to come.
The vice president added that plans had been put in place to set up special police units to strengthen police engagements with the communities they serve.
“Resources have been allocated for police kits, including protective gear and adequate quantities of other essential equipment, including guns and ammunitions.
The aim of government is to build a robust, effective, efficient and disciplined police force capable to providing security for its citizenry, reducing crime and increasing public safety. The policy of my government on law and order is to focus more on proactive and preventive policing, rather than reactive and we will do so by increasing both visibility and capacity,” he mentioned.
Adding, Dr Bawumia said, “This year alone, our programme is to recruit 4,000 more police personnel. We know that what matters most is not the number of police officers we recruit, but the number of officers we deploy, and how effectively they are deployed.”
The vice president averred that government was working hard to improve the data analytics of the Ghana Police Service to make policing more efficient and alive to modern trends in crime.
To the graduating officers, the vice president urged them to, at all times, discharge their duties professionally and diligently.
Continuing, he said, “Remember, you are mandated by the Constitution of the Republic to perform your traditional role of maintaining law and order. You are, thus, not to use your position to antagonise or harass the very citizens whose sacrifices have made your training possible. Indeed, you owe it a duty to the nation to work towards ensuring its peace, stability and development.”
The Ghana Police Academy, formerly Ghana Police College, was established in 1959.
On February 4, 1959, the first batch of 14 cadet officers began the maiden course at the academy.
Since its inception, the academy has run 46 courses and the currently one being Course 47.
ACP Anderson Fosu-Ackaah, Commandant of the Ghana Police Academy, in an interview stated that the course is a career training programme designed for qualified officers of the inspectorate who passed a competitive entrance examination.
The best cadet officer award was given to Cadet Officer Justus Ayertey.
Cadet Officer Mary Esi Koomson and Mary Mirekua Tandoh took special awards for organisation and leadership and best in drill, command and control respectively, while Cadet Officer Stephen Abaka took an award in best in marksmanship.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey