Joint Police/Military to check robbery on Yeji-Atebubu-Kumasi road - MP

Accra, June 17, GNA - Mr. Masoud Baba Abdul Rakman, NDC-Pru on Friday appealed to government to establish a permanent joint police/military patrol to man the Yeji-Atebubu-Kumasi to check armed robbery. He said armed robbery was on the rise and it is disturbing peace and security of the people as well as preventing traders to come to the area.

Mr. Rakman, who was making a statement on the menace of armed robbery in Pru District said between January and May 2005 alone, there have been three attacks on traders and commuters in the Pru District. He said the robbers who operate at night and dawn have not only stole money but also killed and maimed.

"With the arrest of the 23 most wanted and hardened criminals in Accra it is no mean to say that the police is working very hard but it appears that the criminals are now pushing further and further away from Accra into the hinterland." The MP said, "The question to ask is should there be a hole or burrow elsewhere in this entity called Ghana for the criminals to hide and operate?" He said the people in the community were of the view that the robbers are very strong, agile and fast enough to escape any time they want.

"Our first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory once said and I quote; 'no one is born a criminal, it is the circumstances around that make them: the only way criminals can be changed is to change the social conditions around.'"

In another statement, the NPP MP for Bosome-Freho, Edward Nana Yaw Ofori-Kuragu has urged government to make more budgetary allocation to the tourism sector to help in its development since the country abounds in tourism potentials. He said tourism, the third highest foreign exchange earner after gold and cocoa and its potentials can march countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and even Morocco, if properly developed and promoted.

"Ghana is noted for her hospitality, which command universal popularity and acceptability and also one of the most politically stable countries in the West-Africa sub-region." Mr. Ofori-Kuragu said "tourism is a vital non-traditional export and is about time we expand the tourism landscape. "It is extremely important to develop and promote domestic tourism so that monies spent by domestic tourists at the various locations will help improve the local economies of the areas as well as create jobs for the people of a community."

He called for the relocation of the offices of the Tourist Board to the Old Parliament House to make it accessible to tourists. He said it was long overdue for the establishment of a Tourism Development Fund to support the sector.