Kufuor inaugurates Ga West District Police Headquarters

Amasaman (GAR), Dec. 1, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday inaugurated a 370 million-cedis one-storey headquarters of the Ga West District Police Service at Amasaman.

The local Assembly provided 300 million cedis for the building from the Common Fund while the Police Administration provided 70 million cedis for the furnishing.

President Kufuor inaugurated the building as part of his two-day official tour of the Greater Accra region.

He also addressed durbars of the chiefs and people at Abokobi, Adenta, Madina, Amasaman, Denchina, Bortianor and Gbawe. President Kufuor said it was the Government's policy to carry good governance to the doorsteps of every Ghanaian.

He said the anchor for law and order in the society was the police and to enable the citizenry realise the policy of decentralisation, it was ideal to have enough police personnel to work through-out the country to maintain law and order.

President Kufuor said it was significant that taking the rule of law to the communities would make the implementation of the decentralisation policy real and functional.

He commended the District Assembly for the vision and foresight to undertake the project, which was strategically positioned near the main Accra-Kumasi trunk road and suggested that the architectural design for the building should be replicated in other parts of the country where the Police Administration had plans to put up a headquarters.

President Kufuor said the image and reputation of the Police Service in the past was abused as the police was used to harass and intimidate the people, adding "the police should rather be the health of the weak in society".

He said an effective and good policeman should be a formidable force to keep miscreants in society at bay and allow the people to live in peace and tranquillity.

President Kufuor said the police was an underpinning for the rule of law and good governance, therefore, the Government was committed to assist them to play their role of protecting life and property.

"We will equip the police with better communication logistics, make them mobile and motivate the personnel to guarantee the citizenry peace in their homes and in the country", he added.

Nana Owusu Nsiah, Inspector General of Police (IGP), expressed appreciation to the Assembly, saying the Police administration was determined to increase the number of police stations and posts across the country to enable them reduce crime and other anti-social vices in the society.

He said combating crime was a complex and expensive venture that could not be shouldered by the Government alone but required the collective and committed efforts of all peace-loving citizens.

The IGP called on philanthropists, benevolent organisations and individuals to assist the Police to construct police stations and posts in communities where none existed.

He appealed to landlords and estate developers to assist the police by releasing for rental, residential accommodation for police personnel in the country.

Nana Owusu Nsiah said the police administration had the intention to expand the capacity of police cells in the country but were constrained by the unavailability of land.

He commended the chief of Amasaman, Nii Amasa and the District assembly that had made land available for the construction of a two-storey Central cell with modern facilities, adding that more of similar cells would be constructed in other parts of the country. The IGP announced that with the assistance of the Government, the Police Service had created a Land guard Operational Units to flush out land guards in the society.

"We are committed and will progressively eradicate the menace of land guards in all parts of the country", he added.

President Kufuor continues his tour of the region on Wednesday with visits to Big Ada, Sege, Tema and Ashaiman.