NO PLACE FOR 4,075 POLICEMEN

A total of 4,075 policemen recruited between January 2007 and October 2008 cannot be posted to where their services are most needed because of lack of accommodation.

Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of the Interior, said this in response to questions in Parliament yesterday regarding accommodation for the police.

“Mr Speaker, I have requested that some of the housing units under construction by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing be allocated to the Ghana Police Service,” he said, adding that so far, about 200 units of such flats had been allocated in the Greater  Accra.

He said as a long-term solution and in line with the 2007 budget statement on private participation in the development of public sectors, the Ministry had initiated an action to redevelop selected lands belonging to the security services including the Ghana Police Service.

He said the case of the Police Service, was nationwide beginning with Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Sekondi Takoradi.

As an interim measure, Dr Addo-Kufuor appealed to Members of Parliament to take up the issue of accommodation for personnel of the Ghana Police Service with the District Assemblies to enable the Police Administration to post personnel to the districts.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said the Police Administration, under an Exim Bank of India Facility and Paramount Logistics Corporation of South Africa had for the past two years taken delivery of 403 vehicles.

Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Transportation, also took his turn to answer questions from some Members of Parliament on the status of some road projects in their constituencies.