AGI 'Buys' Police

GHANA'S CAPTAINS of industry have offered Ghana's Police Service a set of consolidated 'bribes' to pay special attention to the security of their businesses as the Minister of the Interior looked on in 'horror' in Accra on Tuesday.

The President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tony Oteng-Gyasi, demanded 'exclusivity' and a 'VVIP' unit for AGI members in exchange for cash donations, tens of thousands of Ghana cedis worth of new equipment, and eight new police stations located in industrial areas.

Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, desperately tried to plead that “no monetary donations should be given; the donations should come in kind.

“After the budget is read, look at what you can do to supplement it,” he told the industrialists.

“Unless the country itself is safe, you can build a barricade around the factories and yet the robbers will still come.

“Safety should not only benefit the industries, but the whole country,” he added.

Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, Inspector General of Police, who also warned against cash donations said, “If we were to take your money, we'd have to go to the procurement board, and it will take us four months before we get anything. Just buy them for us.”

The Ghana Police Service made a presentation outlining short term and long term goals for three key industrial areas in Accra and Tema.

The short term goals included three 50-man tent cities in the North and South industrial areas, Spintex Road and Tema industrial area.

The Police promised to provide AGI members long term improvements such as a new police district for Spintex Road, seven new police stations in targeted industrial areas, and new accommodation for 220 officers.

They asked that the industrialists help them provide the land and capital for these projects, as well as hi-tech equipment, including 60 cameras to build a closed circuit television network and acquire15 motorbikes.

The Police Officers also expressed the general need for 500 police radios, a monitoring facility for the CCTV network, 200 cameras for Accra and Tema and 200 motorbikes.

Dr. Addo-Kufuor also said he was very impressed by the level of support from the industrialists “but we should concentrate on the short term; if you are going to plan in the long term, as a politician, I suggest you wait until after the elections”.

He said he hoped the AGI would be able to provide supplementary support to the Police Service to help them work, and boost morale.

“The Government of Ghana has, with constraints of the national budget, provided ample resources to Ghana Police Service,” he said.

The government has made significant strides in improving the resources available to the Police Service.

Before 2001 there were 53 vehicles, which shot up to 749, while the force has gone from 15,983 officers to 22,629 within the same period.

The most damning statistic is the average salary of a Constable, which, before 2001, was a shocking GH¢198.17 per annum, and has increased to a paltry GH¢963.81.

Oteng Gyasi said: “In recent times many representatives have made concerns about the general security environment in which their companies operate.”

He asked the Police to assure the group that equipment AGI members paid for would not be used by the general Police Service, which the IGP agreed to, adding, “The names of all individual donors will be made available to the police; we have your names.”

Representatives from companies including Graphic Communications; Coca Cola; MTN; Ecobank; Fan Milk; Goil; GHACEM; Tigo; Stripes Manufacturing and the Ghana Water Company, were present at the meeting.

A representative of Polygroup tried to get the ball rolling by pledging one motorcycle, and the AGI decided to set up a committee and make the first donation within a month.

By Yepoka Yeebo and Alesha Porisky