Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council to assist police

Bolgatanga (Upper East), 10 March '99 -

The Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council is to institute measures to put up a new houses for police officers and renovate existing ones, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Regional Minister has said. He said the various district assemblies would be given the responsibility to carry out the exercise, adding that the Bawku West District has started by building a police station and living quarters at Zebilla. In an interaction with 50 police officers in the region at a durbar in Bolgatanga, Alhaji Sulemana said the gesture was to boost the morale of the policemen so they could perform their duties effectively This, he said, was also in line with government's plan to strengthen the police force adding that criminals were becoming sophisticated and the police need to be well equipped in order to check the crime wave. Alhaji Sulemana commended the police for maintaining peace and security in the region and urged them to approach their duties without fear nor reluctance. "You are competent and we know that when you want to perform, you can be very effective", he said, adding that no group of indisciplined persons should be allowed to take the law into their hands. He advised them not to compromise their integrity but to maintain a high level of respect that society would appreciate. Mr Adolphus Wemegah, regional police commander, said crime in the region reduced from 2,874 in 1997 to 2,124 in 1998 due to periodic police-military patrols, activities of the neighbourhood and community watch-dog committees and the co-operation of assembly members. He said the 325 police officers and 13 police stations in the region were inadequate and appealed to the office of the Inspector General of Police to give the region two more police stations. The officers appealed for means of transport to enable them carry out their duties.