Police and CEPS resolve to cooperate

Accra, April 2, GNA - The Custom, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and the Police Service on Friday agreed to reinvigorate their cooperation to stop the recent spate of confrontations between the two organisations.

The two organs of State have lately had bitter clashes over the transportation of goods from the Port City of Tema to other parts of the country. This was the outcome of a meeting between the leadership of the two organs in Accra, which was witnessed by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Minister of the Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang and Mr Thomas Broni, Deputy Minister of the Interior.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang charged the Police and CEPS to work towards resolving their differences to avoid confrontation with each other in performance of their duties to the State. "The issue of patriotism to the State cannot be compromised on such squabbles... do not do acts that would endangered the peace." He served notice that any confrontation now would be thoroughly investigated and the culprits brought to book.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang stressed that even in an election year their Commands remained the same and that they should not use the period to create unnecessary confrontation.

Nana Stephen Owusu-Nsiah, Inspector General of Police, who received the Customs delegation led by Brigadier-General Richardson Baiden, Commissioner of CEPS at the Police Headquarters, noted that as state organs entrusted with maintenance of law and order it was imperative for them to cooperate with each other. He said the organs must ensure that they worked in the interest of Ghana rather than any parochial interest.

Brigadier Baiden said the atmosphere of mistrust between the two Services should pave way for trust and a clear definition of roles in order to avoid such clashes, which amounted to indiscipline. He noted that for such issues to be allowed to degenerate into publications in the media was not in the interest of national security since some of the issues were not meant for public consumption. The Commissioner noted that as Custom officials their mandate was to facilitate the free movement of goods and this role must be appreciated.