We'll stem sophisticated crime - Hackman

Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minister for the Interior, on Friday announced that steps were underway to provide the police service with specialised equipment to stem sophisticated crime in the country.

He noted that recent incidences of armed robbery in the country shows that armed robbers were getting more sophisticated, rude and strong, making use of road blocks and engaging in gun fights with the police.

"We are taking emergency measures from Monday November 24, 2003 to protect the police from such rude criminals and additionally to equip the police service to take such criminals down," he said.

The Minister was answering a parliamentary question by Mr. Jacob S. Arthur, NDC-Mfantseman West on what plans the ministry has to open a Police Station at Yamoransa, the well-known kenkey producing town strategically located on the Cape Coast-Abura Dunkwa road.

Mr. Arthur, in a supplementary question, noted that the incidence of armed robbery in the area was high but there was no police station to serve the area, adding that even if a police station was put there, it would require urgent high equipment to stem the armed robbery.

Mr. Owusu-Agyeman said the main problem facing the government for which it has not put up a police station in that area was lack of funding.

He noted that the people of Ningo used to have a similar problem but a contractor put up a station for them at the cost of about 530 million cedis and the government went in to equip the station and the police, adding that companies in the area could follow the example of the Ningo contractor and government will complement their effort.

"The Police Administration is seriously considering opening new stations in towns like Yamoransa and others on the trunk roads," he said. "Meanwhile various measures are being taken to ensure security in areas where there are no police stations", he said

In response to a question by Mrs Gifty E. Kusi, NPP-Tarkwa Nsuaem on when the Benso in the Wassa West District will have a police station since the old one got burnt, the Minister cited financial constraints as the reason for the delay in constructing a new police station in the area.

He however assured the house that the Police Administration was taking steps to seek financial and other assistance from stakeholders in the area, including the District Assembly, Chiefs and people of the area as well as the Benso Oil Palm Plantation Company to rehabilitate the burnt police station.

In an answer to a supplementary question by Mrs. Kusi on whether the involvement of stakeholders in the rehabilitation of the police station will not compromise the integrity and work of the police, the Minister replied in the negative.

He explained that in other jurisdictions, the work of policing is a shared responsibility between members of the society, non-governmental organisations and the police service itself, adding that individuals and organisations sponsor the police service in various ways to make law enforcement effective and Ghana could do the same.