Police helicopter hangar construction takes-off

A sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a hangar for three police helicopters, was on Wednesday held in Accra.

The 514-metre square hangar located at the Police Training School in Tesano-Accra has the capacity to contain four helicopters at a time.

Mr Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior, who performed the ceremony said, it formed part of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s promise and resolve, to ensure maximum security within the country.

He said the empowerment of the country’s Police Service would not be concentrated only in one area but would involve all areas of police work such as retooling, logistical support, manpower building, and all the rest.

Mr Dery said the key aim of the government was to ensure that the police service of Ghana, measured up to globally held policing standards and recalled that in 2017, 160 pick-ups vehicles were given to the police with 200 cars being delivered to the service last years, as well as a number of other policing equipment.

“Today, we see the introduction of an aspect of policing that the country has never known,” the Interior Minister noted, adding that a number of police officers were under training as pilots and engineers to man the helicopters.

He said as a result of the President’s keen interest in police personnel empowerment, 4,000 more police personnel were to be recruited, to augment the current one policeman to about 848 civilians working capacity of the Ghana Police Service.

The Interior Minister said steps were taken to promote officers who were due and also, to ensure substantial settlements for those who suffered casualties while performing their duties and gave the assurance that President Akufo-Addo would not permit any changes that would adversely affect police personnel when they go on retirement.

Mr Dery urged police personnel to go to the right sources for information on such matters, in order to avoid rumour mongering and urged them to work harder towards ensuring public safety.

Mr David Asante-Apeatu, Inspector General of Police (IGP), said although the Ghana Police Service requested for at least a helicopter from President Akufo-Addo, “the service remains amazed with news on the procurement of not one, but three helicopters.”

He noted that effective law enforcement lay in a vibrant police unit saying, “I am excited to be part of this historic moment.”

The IGP remarked, that the move would revolutionalise police operations in the country, and ensure quick police response whenever needed.