Wa, May 19, GNA – The Ghana Police Service Council is reviewing promotions, service conditions and low salaries of police personnel, Mr Justice Sam Baddoo, Chairman of the council announced on Friday. He said some progress had been made with regard to logistics such as police operational vehicles but much more needed to be done with respect to conditions of service, residential and office accommodation of police personnel.
Mr Justice Baddoo, a retired Supreme Court Judge was speaking at the inauguration of a 13-member Upper West Regional Police Committee at Wa.
Mr Justice B. O. Tetteh, a Wa High Court Judge administered the oath of office and secrecy to the members. The committee under the chairmanship of Mr Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister, has the two most senior police officers in the region as members.
Other members are representatives of Attorney General’s Department, the eight Municipal and District Assemblies; Upper West Regional branch of Ghana Bar Association and Upper West Regional House of Chiefs. Among its functions, the committee would advise the police council on matters relating to police administration in the region. Mr Justice Baddoo, said since the council assumed office a year ago, it reviewed the promotion of many police personnel that had been pending over the years.
He noted that despite its problems, the Ghana Police Service was one of the best in the world and advised Ghanaians to be circumspect in their harsh criticisms of police personnel. Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior in a speech read on his behalf said the committee had the authority to influence policing within the region and nation-wide.
He said inauguration of the committee marked an important milestone in the country’s efforts towards improving security of life and property of the people.
Mr Kan-Dapaah noted that introduction of community policing would help augment the manpower base of the police, which stands at a policeman to 1,100 people.
Mr Dery appealed to the council to establish a police-training depot in the region.
e establishment of three new divisional police stations at Wa, Tumu and Lawra none of them was operational due to logistics constraints.
Mr Dery said the newly upgraded police stations at Jirapa, Gwollu, Nandom and Funsi were facing similar problems.
Source: GhanaWeb
