More police posts soon

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, has hinted that the police administration has adopted a model prototype police post as a standard community police post approved for construction across the country.

According to him, even though the construction of the police post would not provide the full complement of a police station, it would help spread and enhance police presence within communities and locations to curb criminal activities.

“This prototype model we are advocating is beautiful and conspicuous, affordable as it costs approximately GH¢ 30,000 to construct within two months time frame and requires no painting.”

Mr Alhassan made this known at the commissioning of three projects, including the Public Affairs Department, Operations Department and the Police Fitness and Social Centre Projects at the Police Headquarters in Accra.

He appealed to metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, MPs, individuals to help the police financially to construct the prototype model community police posts within their jurisdiction especially near markets, shopping centres, and along the highway to further bring policing closer to their communities.

Touching on the three building projects commissioned, the IGP noted that the infrastructural deficit within the Ghana Police Service is a recurrent one.

This, according to him, is because there is a correlation between the police-citizen population growth.

“This is to say that as the citizen population increase, there must be a proportional increase in the numerical strength of the police which invariably demands additional infrastructure and logistical support. He acknowledged corporate bodies, individuals and others who supported the police administration in putting up the building projects.

Adding his voice, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, in an address at the inauguration traced the history of the accommodation challenges that have been confronting the Police Service over the years.

He posited that over the past four years, government had allocated funds for the completion of about 38 abandoned building projects belonging to the Police Service but however indicated that the intervention had not halted the increasing accommodation deficit confronting the police administration, calling on corporate Ghana to assist government in supporting the Service.

Mr Amissah-Arthur commended Mr Ahmed Alhassan and the entire police administration for prudently sourcing for private support on their own in addressing some of the challenges confronting them, including the accommodation issues, reiterating that government would continue to be supportive of the activities of the administration.

Commenting on the responsibilities of the Police Service towards the citizenry, he urged police personnel to be of good morals in the discharge of their duties.

“The actions and inactions of the individual police personnel that tarnish the image of the service must be eliminated. A consistent display of professionalism, firm but fair decisions, strict adherence to democratic principles and the avoidance of corrupt practices must govern all police actions,” the Vice President charged, lamenting that the police-to-civilian ratio in the country was disheartening.

He further pleaded with the officers to combat road accidents during this festive season.

Other dignitaries present included two former IGPs, Mr Owusu Nsiah, and Mr Patrick Acheampong, Minister for Interior, Mr James Agalgah, members of police management board, representatives of the military, prisons services and others.