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Nzema East Municipal Guards Inaugurated to Protect Lives and Properties

By P.K.Yankey, GNA

Axim (W/R),
October 13, GNA
The Nzema East Municipal Assembly in the Western Region has inaugurated
its Municipal Guards to protect lives and properties in the area.

The Guards,
otherwise known as City Guards, who were recruited after a three-month
intensive training in Takoradi, would also help in the mobilization of revenues
to speed up development of the municipality.

This brings to
three, the number of City Guards in the Western Region coming after
Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Sekondi-Takoradi.

Speaking at the
inaugural ceremony held at Axim over the weekend, the Municipal Chief Executive
(MCE) for the area, Mr. Frank Okpenyen thanked the youth for committing their
time to be recruited as Guards to help the municipality develop.

“Today is
a historical day for us all in Nzema East Municipality and I thank God to see
this memorable day. This is the first ever Municipal Guards and I am very
happy”, he said.

Mr. Okpenyen
maintained that the guards were recognised under the local government Act and
hinted of plans to recruit another batch very soon”.

On their
salaries, the MCE said the Assembly would pay them in the interim for three
years until the Controller and Accountant Generals’ Department takes over.

The MCE,
charged them to be dedicated and disciplined in the discharge of their duties
but cautioned them not to take the law into their own hands.

He took the
opportunity to highlight some of their roles and stated that “they will
direct traffic at some selected areas in the municipal capital. They will also
help school children to cross the road before and after school”.

He continued,
“they will provide security for the various transport unions and will also
help generate revenue for the Assembly and see to it that people do not sell by
the roadside”.

Mr.  Okpenyen disclosed that the road network in
Axim had many intersections, which had engaged government’s attention to
provide Axim with traffic lights to ease traffic and safeguard the movement of
motorists and pedestrians.

Speaking on
behalf of the Nzema East District Police Command, the Divisional Crime Officer
of Axim, Supt. Lawrence Gbele thanked the Assembly for the formation of the
Municipal Guards (City Guards) to assist the police to protect lives and
properties.

He charged the
Guards to be law-abiding people and pledged on behalf of the police to support
them to perform their duties diligently.

He, bemoaned
how the crime rate was on the rise in the municipality and called on the
Assembly to assist them fight the menace.

On his part,
the Chairman of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of Nzema East
Municipality, Mr. Alleayefe Armah expressed his profound gratitude to the MCE
for the establishment of the Municipal Guards.

He said the Municipal
Guards would go a long way to help the various transport unions in the area and
called on passengers to rally behind them.

The Acting
President of Upper Axim Traditional Council, Nana Kwaw Tendenle III commended
the MP and MCE for providing jobs for the youth and said the Traditional
Council would support the Guards to succeed.

He, therefore,
cautioned them against favouritism and discrimination adding, “If I the chief
committs any offence, do not consider me but deal with me as the law says.”

In a related
development, Mr. Okpenyen on behalf of the government presented a brand new
Toyota Land cruiser to the Nzema East District Police Command for patrol duties
and administration.

The MCE
disclosed that within six months, the Nzema East District Police Command had
been provided with two vehicles.

He called on
them to ensure proper maintenance of the vehicles to achieve its intended
purpose.

GNA

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