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Editorial News of Friday, 29 January 1999

Source: --

Free Press

"Woes of Ghana Police exposed" is the front-page lead of the Free Press. It reports that as the crime wave in the Ghana mounts, the Ghana Police Service finds itself gravely understaffed. Currently, the manpower of the force falls far below the United Nation's ratio of one police personnel to a population of 500.

The paper says whiles the population of the country stands at about 18 million; the strength of the Police Force is 15,436, a ratio of one policeman to 1,200 people.

The paper quoted the IGP, Mr Peter Nanfuri as having made this disclosures when he presented a paper on the "the police, the citizen and the Law" at a colloquium held under the theme "The judiciary under the 1992 Constitution". The IGP was said to have recounted that in 1964, when Ghana's population was 9.4 million, the strength of the Police was 21,000, which worked out at a ratio of one Policeman to 450 people.

Another story on the front-page of the paper is "Nigerian 'Sunset' recalls $5m bribery allegation against Rawlings". According to the story, the embattled family of the late Nigerian leader, General Sani Abacha, has threatened to expose all top- ranking personalities connected with alleged crimes he was alleged to have committed.

According to the story which the paper said was carried by the Nigerian newspaper 'Weekend Sunset', the family had assembled vital documents they believe will not only exonerate the late General Abacha from his presumed crimes but also expose all those they believe are implicated.

The family, armed with relevant document, is insisting that several key persons in the present government of General Abdulsalam Abubakar who have been portraying themselves as holy and incorruptible have had their hands soiled during the regime of the late General, the said.

The Free Press said, according to another Nigerians newspaper "Sunday Tribune", the family was insisting on an open trial for any of them suspected to have committed any crime.