NPP lauds Police operations

Accra, (Greater Accra) 25 Jan. '99,

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) last Friday lauded recent Police efforts that has resulted in the arrest of several categories of criminal suspects in the country. A statement issued in Accra signed by Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary said: ''The NPP finds this very heartening news and a vindication of the Party's contention that our Police are capable of delivering if they are given the necessary resources and motivation''. The statement noted that there is no doubt the Police Service is woefully under-manned, ill-equipped and are currently over- stretched by the increase in population and in the face of rising spate of crime. ''Crime rate is relative to Police personnel and ... even more ominously is the fact that criminals are using more sophisticated electronic gadgets and better vehicles.''

It said the government's white paper on the Archer report on the Service released on Thursday is ''very significant and confirms the wretched conditions of the Police Service. ''There can be no more important act by the government than ensuring that the agency charged with enforcement of the law is able to carry out its duties''. Recently, there has been several reports in the media on crime wave leading to public panic with its ensuing concerns expressed by interested parties for the government to equip the Police service well for better output.

The Police, however, embarked on an operation last Thursday that led to a haul of 46 maxi bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and the arrest of a number of suspects in the city. The NPP, therefore, urged the Police to continue their good work, adding that, ''an NPP government will give the support and resources they need to enable them to perform''.