General News of Monday, 5 March 2018
Source: citifmonline.com
2018-03-05
President Akufo-Addo during the 2016 electioneering campaign promised to tighten security
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will later today [Monday], meet security chiefs in the country in the wake of upsurge in robbery incidents in some parts of the country.
The President cut short his trip to the United States following public concerns in Ghana, over the seeming rise in armed robbery cases.
This meeting comes on the back of a similar one held by the Vice President with security heads last week.
The President is expected to make some demands from the Interior Minister and the IGP on the state of the country’s security. Over the weekend, Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, told Citi News government is working to intensify security.
He reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that the Police Service is resourced enough to tackle the recent upsurge in armed robbery cases and general crime in the country.
According to him, despite the significant spike in robbery attacks across the country in the first two months of the year, the government had put measures in place to ensure that the menace is curbed.
“Going forward from March to the end of the year, at least we would experience a sharp drop, in armed robbery. We would not be experiencing these incidents. I am just trying to explain that the government has control. Currently, the Police Service has control.We are going to put in enough resources to sustain it, which will fit nicely into our general security plans for the year to drop the crime rate from 200,000 to under 150,000, so we have control of the situation,” he said.
Wave of robbery
There appears to be a heightened wave of robbery attacks in the country with the past week recording some of the worst cases.
A number of incidents have involved brazen attacks by robbers on individuals and organisations in broad daylight.
A Lebanese was shot and killed at Tema Industrial Area last week with the assailants making away with GHS 200,000 he had withdrawn from the bank.
Recent arrests
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu, announced earlier last week that the police arrested a group of suspected robbers believed to be behind attacks on about 20 forex bureaux around the Spintex road area in just 2018.
The attacks on these Forex Bureaux were growing number of robberies and high-profile criminal activity in the region.
Mobile money transfer points have also been targeted by robbers in recent times.
Police shake-up
These incidents have prompted members of the public and some MPs to call for some of the heads of the security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu.
The IGP has responded with a major reshuffle in the Service, with several officers given new assignments.
Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Director General of Police Operations, was reassigned to head the Research and Planning Department.
He was replaced immediately by the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Simon Afeku.
Nine others were also reassigned to take up various positions across the country.