Gov’t Committed to Dealing with Upsurge in Crime

Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong has reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that Police Service is resourced enough to tackle the recent upsurge in armed robbery cases and general crime in the country.

According to him, despite the significant spike in robbery attacks across the country in the first two months of the year, the government had put measures in place to ensure that the menace is curbed and that a drop in robbery-related incidents is recorded from March.

“Going forward from March to the end of the year, at least we would experience a sharp drop, in armed robbery. We would not be experiencing these incidents. I am just trying to explain that the government has control. Currently, the Police Service has control. We are going to put in enough resources to sustain it, which will fit nicely into our general security plans for the year to drop the crime rate from 200,000 to under 150,000, so we have control of the situation,” he said.

He revealed that over the last four years there had been a steady rise in the number of reported armed robbery cases, suggesting that the issue wasn’t limited to the current administration.

Speaking on Citi FM’s news and current affairs programme, The Big Issue, Bryan Acheampong said the situation is worrying and has gotten the attention of government.

Bryan Acheampong added that measures announced by the government to address the robbery situation are yielding positive results.

‘Wave of robbery’

There appears to be a heightened wave of robbery attacks in the country with this week being some of the worst cases reported in weeks.

A number of incidents have involved brazen attacks by the robbers on individuals organisations in broad daylight.

A Lebanese was shot and killed at Tema Industrial Area this week with the assailants making away with GHS 200,000 he had withdrawn from a bank minutes earlier.

Recent arrests

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu, announced earlier this week that the police arrested a group of suspected robbers believed to be behind attacks on about 20 forex bureaux in the Spintex road area in just 2018.

The attacks on these Forex Bureaux were growing number of robberies and high-profile criminal activity in the region.

Mobile money transfer points have also been targeted by robbers in recent times.

Police shake-up

These incidents have prompted members of the public and the Minority to call for some of the heads of the security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu, to be sacked.

The IGP has responded with a major reshuffle in the Service, with several officers given new assignments.

Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Director General of Police Operations, has been reassigned to head the Research and Planning Department.

He is to be replaced immediately by the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Simon Afeku.

Nine others have also been reassigned to take up various positions across the country.

Source: Citifmonline