President Akufo-Addo cuts the tape for the commissioning
Government is committing more resources to the Ghana Police Service to clamp down on the activities of criminals in the country.
Speaking at the commissioning of the newly constructed Tesano Divisional Police Headquarters at a ceremony in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo revealed that 1,000 new vehicles would be procured for the police this year.
He indicated that 200 pick-ups had been allocated to the police under Operation Calm Life, with 200 saloon cars to be delivered soon.
Apart from that, he said “resources have been allocated for police kits, protective gears and other essential equipment.”
He, therefore, called on the “police to pay particular attention to the proper maintenance of the equipment and facilities.”
“Residents must also cooperate with the Police, and give them maximum backing in the discharge of their duties. When the community and police work together, we can be assured of our safety and security, and then we can channel all our energies and resources into building a progressive and prosperous nation,” President Akufo-Addo added.
He was optimistic the citizenry and police would come together in the fight against crime, adding that “we can help establish an orderly society governed by the rule of law.”
“The issue of law and order is particularly important at this time when indiscipline, lawlessness and mob justice are threatening the rule of law, and it’s therefore vital that the Executive should offer its full support to the Police to allow it to perform its duty of maintaining law and order,” President Akufo-Addo noted.
“Government continues to mobilise whatever assistance it can to enable the Police provide the Ghanaian people the kind of service they deserve. This year, we are undertaking the rehabilitation of police stations throughout the country to standardize the infrastructure,” the President added.
“Our aim is to strengthen the Police and fashion it into an honest, disciplined, efficient and robust force, whose emphasis will be on proactive and preventive policing rather than reactive.”
In addition to recruiting about 4,000 additional police officers this year, President Akufo-Addo stated that his administration has recruited 13,500 young men and women into the Community Protection Module under the Youth Employment Agency, with an additional 1,500 more to be recruited soon.
The President added that negotiations had been completed for the rollout of Phase II of the Alpha Project which involves the deployment of a total of 8,700 CCTV cameras across all the districts, with three command centres in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale.
On his part, President of the Despite Group of Companies Osei Kwame Despite, urged all private businessmen and people who are wealthy to help support the Police administration and the nation as a whole.
He entreated the police administration to continue to protect citizens, foreigners and properties in the country.
Mr. Osei Kwame was hopeful the completion and inauguration of the building would foster harmony between the police and civilians to ensure the safety of the nation at large.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent