The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, has tasked regional and district police commanders and other senior officers to ruthlessly deal with lawbreakers, including political party faithful, who take delight in taking the law into their own hands.
The IGP, who believes that crime has no political colour, wants his men to be firm, impartial and professional in dealing with all manner of people who engage in acts of impunity across the country.
Delivering his address at the National Police Command Conference in Kumasi yesterday, Mr. Asante-Apeatu said Ghanaians were tired of the recklessness, indiscipline, lawlessness, and above all the gross impunity among young people, who are supposed to make “our country great and strong.”
According to him, President Akufo-Addo has told the police on numerous occasions to fight impunity through the enforcement of the law without fear or favour.
He therefore charged all the commanders to adopt the mantra “zero tolerance for impunity. “Let us stop it. Let us do it for the people of Ghana.”
The conference, which was held under theme: “Transforming Ghana Police Service into a World Class Police – the Role of Regional Commander,' brought together all the regional police commanders and their crime officers across the 11 regions of the police service.
The IGP wondered why Ghanaian society had allowed impunity to fester and degenerate into the cultural fabric and traditions in an era of democracy where rule of law and respect for human dignity are supposed to be enhanced.
He intimated that the pockets of violence over the years evidenced by the deaths of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama and Constable Michael Kporyi at Denkyira-Obuasi and Tema respectively can no longer be tolerated.
“Such cowardly behaviour of a few social deviants cannot hold us back. In fact, the death of any single Ghanaian on the platform of lawlessness, violence and/ or impunity is one too many,” he indicated.
People's rights
The IGP however reminded officers to be mindful of the constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms of Ghanaians as they seek to fight violent crimes and lawlessness, urging them to continue to respect the rule of law.
“Policing has changed so much over the last three decades requiring relevant innovations to remain functional,” he disclosed. That is why the service is seeking to undertake transformation in line with its vision to becoming a world-class police service capable of delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services.
According to him, the transformation agenda has 13 government strategic objectives as reference point, which the police administration has condensed into five key themes.
They touched on revamping the Criminal Investigations Department, professional development of frontline officers, strengthening of the international affairs cum the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) Bureau.
The IGP expressed the hope that the Ghana Police Service will be rated among the top 10 police organisations in the world in the next four years under his leadership.
Mr. Asante-Apeatu cited inadequate and poor accommodation for police officers, inadequate vehicles required for effective policing, budgetary constraints and poor police-population ratio as some of the challenges.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi
Critics fear Togo reforms leave little room for change in election
Flooding: Obey weather warnings – NADMO to general public
Fire in NDC over boycott of Ejisu by-election
NDC to outdoor Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as running mate today
Ejisu: CPP seeks injunction to stop April 30 by-election
Dismiss ECG, GWCL, GACL bosses over losses – United Voices for Change tells gov’...
Submit 2023 audited financial statements by May – Akufo-Addo order SOEs
Current power outages purely due to mismanagement – Minority
ECG hoists red flag to fight Ashanti Regional Minister over arrest of General Ma...
Mahama’s 24hr economy will help stabilise the cedi; it’s the best sellable polic...
