Police continue to rent premises

Accra Jan.6, GNA - Some Police Stations continue to move from one rented premises to the other and pay as much as five million cedis as monthly rent.

The Kasoa Police Station in the Central Region, the latest to move to new premises would have to pay five million cedis to a welder for renting his property. These came to light when Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior visited Police stations at Kasoa, Bawjaise, Mankrong Junction and Agona Swedru all in the Central Region.

The visit was in response to various publications on conditions existing in some police station cells.

The Kasoa Police station is expected to pay a two-year advance to be renewed every two years.

The new police station would house the Motor, Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, two cells and a toilet facility.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Charles Adalong, the Kasoa District Police Commander said the station had only one vehicle serving the populace.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah was not happy with the size of the female cells at the station, saying the rights of persons arrested needed to be protected. He said government would take delivery of some vehicles for distribution to the Police Service.

At the Bawjaise Police station, Police personnel were also operating in rented premises.

The station, close to a market lacked an accessible route. The cells were not in use because of their deplorable conditions. For example, tall inmates would not able to stand straight because of the height.

Inmates were therefore sent to Mankrong Junction Police, which was properly ventilated.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr Benjamin B. Bakomora at Bawjiase said the Police had been offered the premises of an orphanage to use. At Agona Swedru, a Police Barrack with 22 occupants was in the state of disrepair.

Some occupants of the 30-year-old barracks had used coloured polythene to cover the windows.

At its Divisional headquarters, junior officers were putting up in an uncompleted office complex built 30 years ago.