The IGP welcoming the President to the police headquarters
For the first time in the history of law enforcement in the country, the Ghana Police Service (GPS) will soon possess three helicopters, as government has commenced procurement processes for the choppers.
During the 2018 West African Security Services Association (WASSA) celebration of the GPS, President Akufo-Addo said the choppers would improve the operational capability of the service.
He asserted that some police officers would be trained as pilots for the helicopters.
WASSA celebration is a get-together organised for the security services to dine, make merry and take stock of their activities in the past.
Retooling The Police
President Akufo-Addo, who was the guest of honour, told the police officers that the government would work with the police to guarantee the security of citizens in accordance with the rule of law.
“That is why my government will continue to work to modernise and retool the police adequately in order to assist them to maintain law and order and protect lives and property,” he stressed.
He pledged that his government was determined to support the police administration to serve the people of Ghana better.
The President revealed that currently a National Detective Training Academy was being built at Kenyasi Number One in the Ahafo Region, which when completed, would be at par with the training academy of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the USA.
“The construction of 320 housing units for officers of the national training academy is ongoing, and again government has so far supplied 320 vehicles to the police service and 273 will soon be delivered,” he disclosed.
Promotion And Recruitment
The President recalled what his government had done in terms of promotions in the GPS since assuming office in 2017, pointing out that over 1,502 senior police officers and 18,853 junior officers had been elevated.
“Four thousand police officers have been recruited into the service with 2,000 already under training.
“Today, under this administration, the era when the officers stay without being promoted for more than the mandated four years is over,” he added.
The issue of law and order is particularly needed this time as lawlessness, kidnapping, murder, assault by and against police officers and vigilantism are threatening the rule of law, according to him.
Injustices And Vigilantism
The President announced that the police administration had designed a security leadership development programme under which workshops would be held for selected officers from the police and other security services under the Interior Ministry.
Commendation
The President commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for acting swiftly when some police officers assaulted Ghanaian Times reporters, and the recent assault of a police officer by a driver and his conductor.
“Crime is a crime; it has no political colour and the police must act against any person or group engaged in unlawful acts,” he added.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey