124 T vehicles for security agencies

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - The Ministry of The Interior, under an India Exim bank facility, would be taking delivery of about 124 Tata vehicles from the Tema Harbour for the security agencies.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Interior Minister, told Parliament on Wednesday that an agreement has also been signed with a Chinese company for the installation of a telecommunication network for the security agencies and the Police would benefit from both packages.

The Minister, who was responding to a series of questions about the Police Service, said he was aware that the Highway Patrol Unit of the Service had a large number of patrol vehicles undergoing repairs. Mr James Klutse Avedzi, NDC-Ketu North, had asked if the Minister had noticed that out of 13 patrol vehicles at the Highway Patrol Unit at the Police Headquarter, only one was road worthy and what the Ministry was doing about the situation.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said it was true that the majority of the unit's vehicles had broken down and the unit, therefore, relied on other units for patrol vehicles and for essential assignments.

"Mr Speaker, this is rather unhealthy. Fortunately, we are taking delivery of some Tata vehicles from India, which have arrived at the Tema Port," he explained.

He said Parliament had recently approved a loan agreement between the Government and Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited for the procurement of goods including vehicles for the Ghana Police.

In answer to another question, Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Volta Regional Police Headquarters project has been suspended for some time because of lack of funds.

"We are actively looking for funding for this project and are optimistic that construction work will start again in the coming year," he said.