The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference has called on government to establish an helicopter unit for the Police service to enable them fight crime in the country.
According to the Conference, this could “greatly improve the services they [Police service] render to the nation.”
“The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is asking the government to deploy simple helicopters for the Ghana Police Service that will be used to fight crime. Small helicopters are not expensive and are used by radio stations in other countries to help monitor traffic and give the news. We believe that the Ghana Police Service can have this equipment to greatly improve the services they render to the nation,” the Charismatic Bishops' added.
The Bishops' also urged government to acquire different types of used cars for the Police Service “not only pickups…. so that they can respond to emergency calls promptly.”
In a 5-point communiqué copied to citifmonline.com, the Conference complained about the surge in armed robbery cases and urged government to eliminate the menace because a lot of Ghanaians “do not feel secure any more in different parts of the country.”
The conference also called on government to come out with a national emergency number to boost the country’s emergency response system.
The Charismatic Bishops in the communiqué also suggested to government the creation of used-car market “as a sequel to removing all the used cars which are parked all over the city for the Police and other government agencies, the Government make efforts to establish a National Used-Car Market outside the city.”
“The establishment of such a used car market will lead to the creation of a car city of international repute. The car city could have bonded car parks for used cars from both the Takoradi and Tema ports so that all clearing of these vehicles moves from the ports to the car city. Bonded car parks will be an advantage for our local businessmen who do not have the advantage of bonded warehouses for the sale of their cars,” the Charismatic Bishops' added.
Below is the full communiqué:
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference A Communiqué
As part of the support and prayers that the Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference offers to the leadership of our nation, we are submitting our periodic communiqué for the consideration of the Government. We believe that the Government is able to fulfill the great aspirations of the people of this great nation by creating a safe and modern country. The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference's prophetic word for the nation is based on the Holy Scripture:
Isaiah 43.19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
This prophetic word and scripture speaks into our current situation and tells us that our nation needs to approach some of the old and intractable problems with new insights. God says He is doing a new thing. We believe that the new thing is happening also in our nation! We ask that all concerned would kindly consider our message from the Lord.
1. ELIMINATE ARMED ROBBERY IN GHANA
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is asking the government to make efforts to wipe out armed robbery from Ghana. Many Ghanaians do not feel secure any more in different parts of the country.
Armed robbers freely raid our universities going from room to room. Many homes have been invaded by armed gangs at all hours. Many hotels have been raided from room to room by armed robbers. Murders have occurred when these robberies went wrong. Armed robbers raid our buses as they drive along the highways of our country. Cars are snatched and people attacked on our highways and in the cities of Ghana.
All the regions of Ghana are experiencing high levels of armed robberies. Even our police have suffered the loss of life because of armed robbers. It is now not difficult to meet people who have been attacked, robbed or even raped or who have a close relation who has been murdered in Ghana. It is worth noting that just next door in Togo armed robberies do not occur and Lome is known to be a far safer city than Accra.
In the light of this, the Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is asking the Government to introduce appropriate legal responses and appropriate punishments to counter the upsurge in armed robbery and murder so that armed robbery is stopped in Ghana. It is sad that dangerous criminals are constantly set free on one technicality or the other. Sometimes, ordinary citizens are afraid to go and identify the people who attacked them because they fear they will be free soon too come and attack them again.
There are countries in Africa (whose names we shall not mention) which have successfully wiped out armed robbery because the government was determined to remove it from the nation. We are calling on the government to do the same and remove the scourge of armed robbery from Ghana so that Ghana will be safe again. Please make Ghana safe again!
2. ESTABLISH A NATIONAL EMERGENCY NUMBER
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference are asking the government to make efforts to ensure that there is one number that every Ghanaian can call and get in touch with the nearest police outpost or station.
There are various emergency numbers that Ghanaians have, with which they may contact the police. Examples of these are 18555, 191, 112. 18555, works on just the Tigo, Vodafone and MTN Networks. The numbers are unreliable and are not always picked when you ring them. 191 is supposed to be accessible via all networks, but does not work at
several times when called. 112 is limited to just MTN numbers and will link to a variety of emergency services.
Most of these emergency numbers do not work at all on the Airtel network, which is one of the leading networks in the country. Ghanaians, in an attempt to have emergencies reported and attended to quickly have resorted to using ordinary numbers like 026 117 7308 and 024 703 4186 to reach the Police. These numbers change and are unreliable, and definitely not memorable, providing little haven a citizen is under attack.
Below is an example of the numbers provided to residents in communities in Tema on how to reach the Police:
These numbers, from our research do not perform the role of emergency numbers for a number of reasons:
– They are not widely known by the public and not memorable at all;
– Response to them, when picked, is poor;
– The Police response to emergencies on these numbers is inadequate;
– Resources, both technology and logistics, to allow them to serve as emergency hotlines are inadequate.
We cannot remember these numbers, especially in times of emergency. We are asking the Government to command and coordinate all the stakeholders, especially the telecom companies and the Police Service to use the necessary technology to ensure that one number – 999 – puts you in touch directly with a policeman who can respond to a call, 24/7.
The fact is, the variety of numbers means there is no one memorable number that Ghanaians can rely on in an emergency. The one emergency number should be made popular so all in the country will know it and use it
in emergencies.
We have also realized that there are more occasions than is appropriate on a given day when these numbers are not working properly due to both human and technological challenges. These should be removed, and appropriate urgency attached to calls on these lines to allow them to serve the security needs of the population against the marauding attackers of armed robbers.
3. ACQUIRE DIFFERENT TYPES OF USED CARS FOR THE POLICE
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is also asking the Government to make efforts to provide many different and varied types of cars for the police. Not only pick-ups and Nissan patrols but all types of cars: big cars, small cars, marked cars and unmarked cars can be used by the police, so that they can respond to emergency calls promptly.
In the light of this, we humbly ask the Government to buy the many secondhand cars that are being sold by the roadside by our second-hand car dealers for the police.
a. This will be a boost to our local businessmen who are into the importexport business.
b. This will save a lot of money and provide the needed cars for our
police to be able to respond to calls for assistance across the nation.
c. This policy will remove the many used cars that are parked inappropriately all over the city.
4. ESTABLISH A NATIONAL USED-CAR MARKET
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is asking that, as a sequel to removing all the used cars which are parked all over the city for the Police and other government agencies, the Government make efforts to establish
a National Used-Car Market outside the city. Used car markets exist in many countries around the world such as the Utrecht used-car market, the Shanghai Baozen Used-Car Centre and the British Car Auction Centre in
Blackbushe, UK.
The establishment of such a used car market will lead to the creation of a car city of international repute. The car city could have bonded car parks for used cars from both the Takoradi and Tema ports so that all clearing of these vehicles moves from the ports to the car city. Bonded car parks will be an advantage for our local businessmen who do not have the advantage of bonded warehouses for the sale of their cars. The advantage of the bonded warehouse system is currently benefitting mostly foreign companies. We are convinced that this will attract buyers from across the West African sub-region.
5. ESTABLISH A POLICE HELICOPTER UNIT
The Ghana Charismatic Bishops' Conference is asking the government to deploy simple helicopters for the Ghana Police Service that will be used to fight crime.
Small helicopters are not expensive and are used by radio stations in other countries to help monitor traffic and give the news. We believe that the Ghana Police Service can have this equipment to greatly improve the services they render to the nation.
Helicopters are not as expensive as you imagine. Helicopters such as the Robinson R-22 are considered one of the world’s most economical helicopters, the R-22 carries a base list price of about $250,000 brand new. But there are many excellent deals to be found for good quality used R-22s, often starting from around $100,000 – $150,000.
Since the government is capable of buying hundreds of Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols which cost the same price, we believe that the Government will be able to buy helicopters for the Police Service also. Because helicopters can take off and land vertically, hover or fly at slow speeds and rotate 360 degrees while hovering, helicopters are the aircraft of choice for search and rescue, sightseeing, and police patrol.
A helicopter is capable of getting into remote areas that are virtually inaccessible by fixed-wing aircraft. It is our prayer that the authorities will accept the goodwill, the prayers and the prophetic words that we are sharing for the good of our nation. God bless our homeland Ghana!
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
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