The Director of Music for Ghana Police Service Band, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP,) Godfred Atter Tawiah, has called on corporate institutions to support the police band with logistics to give off their best. In an interview with him, he revealed that the police band is facing series of challenges including inadequate accommodation facilities for personnels, music practising rooms and state- of- the- art musical instruments.
According to him, apart from the Police Central Band in Accra, the band is also located in Winneba, Ho, Sunyani, Koforidua, Takoradi, Kumasi, Wa, Pwalugu, and these are the Regional bands that are facing social and infrastructural challenges which need to be addressed for effective and efficient performance.
DSP Tawiah made this call when Today caught up with him in an exclusive interview in his office at National Police Training School at Tesano in Accra.
According to him, the musical instruments that the Ghana Police band is using to both educate and entertain people are reducing in strength since they have been acquired for the band a long time ago.
DSP Tawiah described the types of instruments they are using as “intermediate instruments,” which cannot match up to those used in other developed countries.
He noted that even though government and the police administration are doing much for the band, a lot needs to be done to ensure that the police band becomes one of the most preferred entertainment bands.
He mentioned that the band was formed in 1918 to entertain the European community residents in the then Gold Coast and also training of personnel on parade among others.
“In contemporary Ghana, the police band is a popular band that helps to bridge the gap between the police service and civilians through public performances and has also gone beyond fighting crime through music. Thus the presence of the police band at public functions deters some unscrupulous individuals who may have the intent to commit crime. In this direction the band uses lyrics in music to advise and also promote harmony in our communities,” he said.
“…It is not enough to say that music disencourages crime and violence, but that it was necessary to turn that aspect of the problem into a positive one by making anti-crime and pro-peace music to encourage the youth, especially young men, to distance themselves from acts of crime and violence,” DSP Tarwiah told Today.
He indicated that apart from state and command functions, individuals are also allowed to hire the band for functions like funerals, birthday celebrations, weddings, parties and the like.
DSP Tawiah also mentioned that the band also serves as a source of entertainment during social activities within the service such as end of year get togethers, popularly known as WASSA, parades and other ceremonial functions.
“It also performs at state functions like guard of honour parades, state dinner/receptions, playing of national anthems of every country, ceremonial parades, playing of fun-fares etc,” he noted.
He disclosed that the police band has come out with an album to share their message, with title, “megyefo tease.”
DSP Tawiah explained that the album contains information that God is there to protect our mother Ghana, likewise the police service.
He also mentioned that the band is banned from doing profane songs but to give out messages that will help the people in their day to day activities.
“We don’t make profit because we are there to fight crime, educate and protect the people whilst we perform,” he noted.
DSP Tawiah mentioned the building of water closet toilet facility, construction of accommodation for newly passed-out constables for in-service training of the band Unit, construction of ultra-modern music theatre that comprises band master’s office, library, regimental practising room and a studio, building of offices and car parks within his jurisdiction as part of his achievements since assuming office in December 2010.
He also added that his outfit has improved social conditions for congenial working environment and has been undertaking infrastructural development in the police band, including facelift of roads leading to his office.
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