Vice President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that 2,000 Police personnel will this year be recruited in an effort beef up security in the country.
The Vice president made this known at the ‘2009 annual Wassa’ of the police service held in Accra.
Vice President John Dramani Mahama
“The government has thought it wise to help in the security of the citizenry and as such two thousand personnel will be recruited and deployed in various areas to help the Ghanaian populace,” the Vice President stated.
He added that plans are far advanced to put structures in place to address accommodation challenges currently bedeviling the police service.
“Government is taking a critical look at the problems of accommodation of police personnel in the country and those who will be recruited will surely have access to quality accommodation,” John Dramani Mahama emphasized.
He further stressed that work is ongoing for the establishment of a DNA laboratory which will help in testing DNA when the institution have the case of paternity and indicated that the laboratory will be the first in west Africa and precisely Ghana.
The vice President commended the police administration for their good work for the past year and as such pronounced that they deserve to celebrate the 2009 annual “Wassa” which is celebrated every year as a get together to make merry because they have fought a good fight.
“The 2009 annual “Wassa needs to be celebrated well by your outfit (referring to the police) because you have fought a good fight for the past year”, the vice president stated.
The vice president applauded them for helping in the fight against drug trafficking in the country and therefore urged the police administration to help in the eradication of those who dents their image by collecting bribes from offended people in the country.
On his part, the Director General, Welfare, DCOP DR Peter A. Wiredu noted that Wassa has a long history and that the purpose was for merry making.
He added that it is pertinent to be celebrated because the police for the past year in combating crime in the country and that “Wassa is celebrated to renew their vigor of working in the New Year.
DCOP /DR. Peter A. Wiredu promised of their (police administration) readiness to continue in combating crime in the country.
He commended his outfit for their work in the past year and therefore urged them to keep the fire burning by improving assiduously.
He entreated his outfit not be complacent in their duties but to continue to fight the rate of armed robbery in the country.
“What appears to be a decline in the spate of robberies, in statistical terms, should not delude us into believing that the battle has been won. I will therefore entreat my fellow officers and men not to be complacent and that there are many challenges ahead,” the minister urged.
The outgoing minister of Interior, Hon. Cletus Avoka commended the police administration in their efforts to fight crime and eradicating fear and anxiety in the citizenry.
He cautioned all the officers to work positively in upgrading the image of the service and that anyone who violates the norms of the service will not be spared since no one was above the law.
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