Government Urges Police to Strengthen Intelligence to Fight Crime

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has urged the Ghana Police Service to enhance its intelligence apparatus to engender proactive policing and efficiently deal with crimes in the country.

He noted that security had assumed top global priority that required mutual trust and collaboration among security agencies to ensure safety for lives and property.

He, therefore, reiterated government’s commitment to provide the Police with the requisite resources and logistics to deal effectively with crimes.

Vice President Bawumia made the remarks at the Annual West Africa Social Services Activity of the Ghana Police Service, in Accra on Friday.

The event afforded police personnel the opportunity to interact among themselves, and to take stock of the previous year’s activities and strategise the way forward.

Vice President Bawumia lauded the Service for their sacrifices and effective dealing with the spate of armed robberies that struck the nation in January and February this year, and, thus, charged them to even do more to reduce the crime rate to the barest minimum.

‘‘We appreciate the work of the Police and now we are having relative calm, and please continue the work you have been doing over the last year,’’ he said.

Vice President Bawumia also urged the Police to Marshal all the resources to curb the scourge of motor accidents which was claiming many lives across the country and expressed government’s condolences to the Police personnel who lost their lives in line of their duty during the year under review.

‘‘Our gratitude and sympathies go to the families of the gallant men and women who lost their lives in the course of duty through unwarranted attacks by criminals.

‘‘You made your fallen officers proud with the speed and dispatch by which you pursued the perpetrators of such heinous crimes that resulted in their arrest.

‘‘Thank you for your resolute and professionalism by which you undertake such selfless and noble task,’’ he stated.

The Vice President asked the Police to conduct their operations devoid of any infraction to gain the confidence and co-operation of the public and protect lives and property.

He lauded the Service for implementing the Police Transformation Agenda and assured that government would support the Service to effectively implement it for the benefit of the nation.

Dr Bawumia said government had been implementing the national digital programme, which would help in managing crime and ensure peace and tranquillity in the society.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister of the Interior, on his part, lauded the Police for performing creditably despite budgetary and logistical constraints and pledged government’s resolve to resource the Service and urged the Police to be disciplined in all their dealings.

He cautioned that any officer that breached the law would be dealt with in accordance with the dictate of the law.

Mr David Asante-Apeatu, the Inspector-General of Police, in his welcome address, said the Service was still investigating Ghanaian Police Officers who were accused of misconduct at the UN peace keeping mission in South Sudan recently.

He said those who would be found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Service.

Source: GNA