$1.5 million police quarters inuagurated

Accra, August 4, GNA - Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Minister of The Interior, on Wednesday inaugurated a 1.5 million-dollar Police accommodation quarters at Tesano in Accra

The project, which was financed by the Chinese Government, comprised of three blocks with each unit containing 16 self-contained apartments, for 48 junior officers of the Ghana Police. Mr Owusu-Agyeman said the project formed part of the Government's efforts to provide decent accommodation for the Police.

The Interior Minister said the Government was committed in equipping the Police Service to ensure that they discharged their duties as expected of them

He said the Cabinet had approved another 20 million-dollar loan, yet to be ratified by Parliament to be used for the purchase of logistics for both air and land activities for the Service Mr Owusu Agyeman stated that seven billion cedis from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Fund had been used to improve and in most cases provided toilet facilities for the personnel throughout the country

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said the problem confronting the Service at the moment was the salary of the personnel and said efforts were being made to improve them.

He said a committee had been set up to review the salaries of the personnel, but added that this would be done within the context of the economy.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah, Inspector General of Police, said the Police Administration had lined up a number of projects to be undertaken but expressed regret that their annual budgetary allocation could not support such projects and appealed to the Government to come to their aid

He reiterated the commitment of the Police Force to ensure that the country enjoyed peace and stability in the periods leading to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections

"We want to assure Ghanaians that we are ready to give protection to everyone without being selective but we would deal with criminals."