Robbery attack on MoMo vendors: More Police visibility in communities encouraged

The Editor of the Informer newspaper, Andy Kankam, has called for more Police visibility in Ghanaian communities to ward off criminals.

His call comes at the back of recent attacks on Mobile Money vendors that has left some of them hospitalized with robbers making away with huge sums of money.

Andy, speaking to Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, expressed: “For the cases of attacks, the quantum of money involved is very huge. Once [Mobile Money] it has become a major medium for transaction, I think that aside what the vendors will do as individuals for their businesses, I think the police should also increase their visibility in the communities and it is refreshing to know that the police visibility plan is there to patrol the communities to ensure that those engaging in daylight robbery are controlled”.

The editor advised, however, that vendors should also prioritize their security and that of their businesses.

“Vendors must put in efforts to protect themselves. This is because if you want to solely rely on Government to protect you then you will always be in danger.

So, you must take security into your hands and protect yourself and your business,” he added.

Meanwhile, he has encouraged all Ghanaians to view security as a collective responsibility.

Hence, “if we also see some suspected characters in our communities, we shouldn’t hesitate to tip off the police so that we can be protected.”

Background

Reports of armed robbers attacking mobile money vendors have become rampant in recent times. For example, four suspected armed robbers on Wednesday, April 21 robbed a Mobile Money vendor at Bantama in the Ashanti Region at gunpoint and made away with over GH¢240,000.

Prior to this, a separate robbery incident on two Mobile Money vendors at the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis left the two hospitalized at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital after receiving some gunshots wounds.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has advised Mobile Money vendors and Ghanaians to be security conscious and provide the police with real-time information to help clamp down criminals.