Government’s support to build a “world-class” police service unwavering, President Akufo-Addo assures IGP

President Akufo-Addo has assured the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, together with the entire leadership of the Ghana Police Service, of the government’s unwavering support to build a world-class, enviable police service.

Addressing senior serving officers and other guests at a ceremony on the forecourt of the Police Headquarters in Accra on Tuesday (21 February 2023) to hand over new logistics to the service, President Akufo-Addo said there is visible evidence that, under its current leadership, the Police Service is fully in charge of internal security and it must be supported to do even more.

“We can all testify that, under your leadership, our Police Service is undergoing a great improvement and a change of image before our very eyes,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“Gradually, the police have brought order to the roads, and we all now know that the law is no respecter of persons or vehicle types.

“[The whole country wants] this to continue, and you should always remember that you have the support of the President of the Republic in the conduct of your important duties,” he said.

Innovations

President Akufo-Addo said he was aware of many innovative measures deployed by the Police Service administration to help improve security across Ghana.

An important example of these, he said, is the specialised anti-robbery task forces, spread across what used to be crime hot spots in the country. This deployment by the Police Service, the president said, has led to a significant reduction of violent crime.

“We are all witnesses to the increase in police visibility, which has contributed to improved police response time. Instilling discipline on our roads is one other area where the police have made a lot of gains.

“Through the Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (Operation PAARI) and The Invisible Police Eye (TIPE) Programme, we now see that most motorbike riders stop at traffic lights for their own safety and the safety of other road users,” Akufo-Addo said.

“Indeed, the incidence of abuse of sirens has greatly reduced, especially within Accra.

“The good news is that, through these road safety-targeted interventions, for the first time in a long time, our nation has recorded a 20% decrease in the number of persons killed through road accidents and crashes. [This is highly commendable and] I know we can do even more,” he said.

Logistics

Touching on the logistics he presented to the Police Service, which included 100 pick-up vehicles, 600 motorbikes and six armoured personnel carrier (APC) vehicles, President Akufo-Addo said this latest support for the service is a sign of the government’s commitment to retooling the police continuously, to support their resolve to secure national internal security.

“[The government’s effort to retool the police] is born out of the fact that the police play a critical role in the development of our country. Hence the need to ensure that the Police Service is adequately resourced to discharge its duties for the safety and security of all of us, as well as for the growth of economic activity,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Headquarters facelift

During his visit, President Akufo-Addo commissioned the facelift to infrastructure at Police Headquarters. Among other improvements, the service has rebuilt its main entrance and renovated several other facilities.

The president remarked on the renovation of the frontage and the many other changes that have been carried out in the immediate vicinity of the headquarters. These include reconstruction of the walls around the site, remodelling of the main gates and renovation of the building that houses the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

“The landscaping around the entire building and on your premises will not go unnoticed,” said the president.

“I dare say, if we were to rank all public buildings now, the Police Headquarters will most likely emerge as one of the best in terms of the appearance of the surroundings.

“When an environment looks this beautiful and put together, it creates a sense of orderliness and discipline in the minds of its patrons.

“I commend the leadership of the service for embarking on this renovation and facelift project,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare 

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