Ghana Police embarks on 'Operation Father Christmas'

The Police administration is set to embark on a nationwide exercise it has dubbed, "Operation Father Christmas", in a bid to search and retrieve firecrackers and other explosive used for celebrations.

A taskforce will on Friday be inaugurated by the Police to begin the exercise ahead of this year's Christmas; a season when these explosives and firecrackers popularly known as 'knock-outs,' are widely sold and patronised by celebrants

Firecrackers as per the Executive Instrument EI 21 of 1999, has been banned. The instrument prohibits the manufacture, possession, distribution and use of a categorised explosives in the country.

Notwithstanding the illegality of these explosives, importers manage to bring them to the country and are annually sold in the open market, especially during Christmas celebrations but the Police is warning those engaged in the sale, import or use of them to stop.

The Director of Public Affairs, Cephas Arthur debunked claims that lack of cooperation with other state security has given rise to the importation of the banned products get to the market.

He insisted what is seen in the market is just a fraction of what would have come on to the markets had it not been the high levels of collaboration and cooperation among all the state security services.

Meanwhile, the acting Inspector General of Police, COP John Kudalor, has addressed his maiden meeting with the Police at which event he asked the Police personnel to ensure that the successes chalked over the years are improved.

The meeting, held Tuesday at the Police Headquarters in Accra, was to formally introduce himself to the staff and management board, and to also seek their support. It was attended by both officers and men from all the units and departments under the headquarters.