Government to assist Police with better accommodation

Accra, Nov 13, GNA - Cabinet has decided to put up more buildings to accommodate serving police Personnel as part of measures to make the Ghana Police Service more efficient. The Government is also putting in place measures to reconstitute the Police Council, the policy making body of the Ghana Police Service after being inactive for about a year.

These came to light during an address by Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Interior, at the third Annual General Meeting of the National Association of retired Police Officers (NARPO) in Accra on Saturday. The Interior Minister, in response to concerns raised by NARPO, said Government was also going to ensure the implementation of adjustment of pensions and payment of pension arrears, saying "that is the least the country can do for you."

He said one of the major concerns of the government was equipping the Ghana Police Force since socio-economic growth was impossible without adequate security.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah observed that most of the retired Police Personnel continued to serve the Ghana Police Service in varied ways and said their rich experience was most needed in ensuring the security of the country.

The Interior Minister urged NARPO to organize, in conjunction with the Ghana Police Service orientation programmes for serving Police Officers who were about to go on retirement. He said this would prepare them for the period of retirement, which was not a particularly easy one.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah made a donation of 20,000,000 cedis on behalf of the Ministry to NARPO.

Dr. Kofi Kesse Manfo, Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge of Operations, urged the retired Police Officers to help in the fight against crime, especially armed robbery, saying their rich experience served as a great advantage in that vein.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Patrick Acheampong, Inspector General of Police, he said since their numbers spread to cover all the corners of the country, the retired Police Officers could offer intelligence reports on their respective areas of residence to help uncover criminals.

Dr Manfo assured them of the Ghana police service's support saying, "we would all need NARPO when we retire."

He pledged ten million cedis for NARPO on behalf of the Ghana Police Service.

Mr Christopher Dewornu, President of NARPO and a past Inspector General of Police, said since year 2003, NARPO had embarked on the construction of a four-story hostel complex with a separate conference center in Accra.

He said it was to provide facilities for NARPO members, serving Police Officers and the general public, adding that it was part of NARPO's objective in engaging in economically viable ventures. Mr Dewornu expressed appreciation to three past Inspector-Generals of Police-Mr. Peter Nanfuri, Mr Owusu Poku, Nana Owusu Nsiah and the current Inspector General of Police, Mr Patrick Acheampong for their immense contribution towards the project.

He said the association would continue with its contribution towards national security and stability and urged the government to continue with its Modernisation of the Police Service policy as well as improvement of service conditions.