Army sharpen strategies against armed robbers

Accra, Aug 4, GNA - Major-General Peter Augustine Blay, Chief of Defence Staff, said on Tuesday the Ghana Armed Forces had sharpened its intelligence and tactical strategies to deal with the menace of armed robbery.

"Ghana will fail in her quest for peace and economic prosperity if armed robbery persists," he said.

Maj-Gen Blay, who was addressing the Fifth Infantry Battalion in Accra, said "for Ghana to have peace, economic growth and prosperity, we must fight armed robbery till we win".

The meeting was to encourage the troops to be resolute in the fight against armed robbers.

Officers and men of the battalion and the Police Service form the anti-armed robbery squad in "Operation Come Life," designed to clamp down armed robbery in the country.

Maj-Gen Blay said "when we fight armed robbery it is a fight for the safety of Ghanaians and the foreign investor". Government, he said, would provide all the logistics to enable them to succeed in the war against the robbers adding "we appreciate your efforts and the good works you are doing".

He told them not to engage in any criminal activities or be misled into unlawful venture in the course of their operations because the law would not spare anyone who behaved unprofessionally.

Lt-Col. Abraham Yeboa Nsia, Commanding Officer of the Battalion, said the armed robber had no legitimacy to carry a gun, break into people's home and kill.

He said when armed robbers opened fire, the only option available to the security officers was to return fire to protect themselves and the people. "We are operating within the rules of engagement," he said. Lt. Col. Nsia said only one security officer had been injured since the inception of "Operation Come Life" but added that he was responding to treatment and would soon join the team. 04 Aug 09