Mark Boldkid Kubuga's petition to IGP

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh is the head of the Ghana Police Service.

PETITION TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IGP) WITH REFERENCE TO COMMENTS MADE BY THE KASSENA-NANKANA MUNICIPAL POLICE COMMANDER, DSP. OPPONG AGYARE FRANCIS CONCERNING THE CURRENT RISE OF ARMED ROBBERY CASES IN THE MUNICIPALITY.

My name is Mark Boldkid Kubuga, and I’m a native of the Kassena-Nankana Municipal in the Upper East region of Ghana. I am a social media activist who has led to several social media activities in the Upper East Region.

Per the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is the leader of the Ghana Police Service who subjects to directives from the Police Council and is responsible for the day-to-day supervision and control over the Administration and Operation of the Police Service. Which includes:

1. The protection of life and property
2. Prevention and detection of crime
3. Apprehension and prosecution of offenders
4. Preservation of peace and good order
5. Enforcement of all laws Acts, Decrees and other regulations with which it is directly charged.

Thus, I wish to inform you about the rise of armed robbery cases in our municipality in recent times and comments made by DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis to the youth of Navrongo when he granted an interview.

Over (5) five-armed robbery cases were reported within two weeks in the Municipality.

Notable among these armed robbery incidents include the incident that happened on February 26^th, 2021 near the Municipal Police headquarters where a teacher was robbed off his motorbike and cash. (URL: https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/crime/Teacher-robbed-at-gunpoint-in- Navrongo-1191805 Date: 2021-02-28), on March 02, 2021, another robbery happened at the

Navrongo market (URL: https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/God-saved-you- Angry-Navrongo-residents-roar-as-Police-save-life-of-suspected-robber-1194271 Date: 2021- 03-02). On February 28, another attempt was made to rob a young man off his motor but for the timely intervention of the people of Kologu saved the young man (https://web.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3896984010378517&set=a.194987480578207)

Residents begun to live in fear because of the inactiveness of the Police command in the Municipality. This forced the residents to begin to adopt measures that will help them protect their lives and property and this led to the unfortunate lynching of some two suspected armed robbers on February 28^th, 2021. https://ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/Regional- Reports-Two-suspected-robbers-lynched-at-Kologo-1193044 Date: 2021-03-01, as reported by Ghanaweb.com.

Even a working visit by the IGP James Oppong Boanuh on February 17^th wasn’t enough to cajole DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis to employ new tactics in fighting crime in the area. And I consider him inapt for his current position.

Despite the lackadaisical approach of the Police command in the Municipal in fighting crime, the Municipal Commander DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis further exhibited his ignorance on March 4^th, 2021 when he granted an interview on A1 radio in Bolgatanga and alluded that, their intelligence suggests that some of the youth will leave their motorbikes in the open, enter a bush with their women doing what they want to do and at the end lose their sense and thieves will come for their motorbikes and went further to appeal to the youth stop this behavior.

The harmless question begging for an answer is, in this day and age, DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis still thinks that young men in Navrongo who can afford a motor bike can’t afford a decent place to accommodate their girlfriends but in the bush? His comments are bizarre, uncalled for and unwarranted dehumanization of the young people in Navrongo who the Police in the Municipality are unable to protect.

Within one week, the youth in Navrongo demand an unqualified apology from DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis, who has slept over his job all this while and enabled crime to foster in our communities like wild fire.

The youth also demand the immediate removal of DSP. Oppong Agyare Francis as the Municipal Police commander for the Kassena-Nankana Municipality to make way for crime detection and prevention.

Sir, your immediate responses to these concerns will inform our next line of action as youth of the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.

Thank you!

Mark Boldkid Kubuga 0544192163

CC:

Interior Minister

Inspector-General of Police

Regional Minister, Upper East Region

Regional Police Commander, Upper East Region. Navro Pio

MCE, Kassena-Nankana Municipality All Media Houses