A COMBINED team of the military and the police is to embark on a nationwide exercise to retrieve all unlicensed weapons and weapons stored in locations not authorised and controlled by the Security Services.
Alhaji Malik Al-hassan Yakubu, Minister of the Interior, who announced this, said all persons in possession of unlicensed weapons are, therefore, to surrender them to the police within two weeks effective from yesterday.
Addressing a news conference on the security situation in the country in Accra yesterday, Alhaji Malik said “All weapons stored in locations outside the strict control of the Ghana Armed Forces or the Police Service must be turned over to the Armed Forces or the Police Service to be stored in their authorised armouries".
He explained that these form part of measures taken by the government to tackle and bust the heinous crimes of women killings and armed robberies.
He noted that this spate of armed robberies is reminiscent of what happened soon after the inauguration of the Limann Presidency in 1979.
According to Alhaji Yakubu, the spate of armed robberies cannot be explained, but said if it is meant to show that the government is unable to maintain and keep a stable and peaceful state for business to flourish, “the NPP Government is firmly resolved to effectively tackle and bust the heinous crimes of women serial killings and armed robberies in Accra and wherever such crimes may occur in Ghana.
“Our action on the unauthorised possession of arms and ammunition while having the immediate aim of fighting the current criminal activities in Ghana, also has the effect of indicating Ghana’s readiness and resolve to implement ECOWAS initiative to tackle proliferation of arms in the West African sub-region," he stated.
The minister said immediate actions that the government has taken during the past three weeks in tackling what he described as these shameful and deplorable criminal activities include constant meeting of government officials with the police top hierarchy to push forward quick and effective police action to deal with those crimes.
He said government has also mobilised some logistics, including vehicles and communication equipment for the operations of the police.
On the serial killings, Alhaji Yakubu said the government has explored the possibilities of collaboration with friendly foreign countries in dealing with the problem.
Security officials of Ghana will hold discussions with American homicide experts, including FBI officers today at the Ministry of the Interior.
Alhaji Yakubu said government will rigorously pursue plans to adequately equip the Police Service to effectively play its constitutional role of maintaining law and order and bust the spate of armed robberies and serial killings.
"Consequently, my ministry will closely monitor police operations to ensure that the police have put in place effective all round mobile, foot and static patrolling of Accra and to replace the hitherto fixed road blocks on major roads, with strategic unpredictable road blocks within the city," he stressed.
He, however, pointed out that in all that the government and the police will do, the public role is crucial, stressing that "maintenance of law and order is a shared responsibility."
He said so far, there has been encouraging flow of information from members of the public to the police and other security agencies since the inauguration of the Kufuor Presidency.
"The NPP Government is determined to deliver on its promise of positive change which means not only improving the economy but also creating a real and genuine peaceful and stable atmosphere so that Ghana can really develop in freedom, in fulfilment of the NPP motto," he emphasised.
In an answer to a question as to the role of the ACDR's and PVOs, Alhaji Yakubu said although the government does not abhor the existence of such groups, it will not entertain their existence in the security agencies.
He said since the Constitution upholds the freedom of association, the government will only have problems with any group if it is found that they are a threat to national security.
On his part, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo-Addo, emphasised that the low morale of personnel of the Police Service and other public institutions need to be addressed to enable them give of their best.
"We will not get the requisite results from any institution if we do not invest in them to deliver," he stressed, adding that it is not enough to provide training and logistics without addressing the morale of the personnel.
