IGP inaugurates New Winneba Police Station - Calls for respect, civility to public
The Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police James Oppong Boanuh, has said that the police will respect and uphold human dignity and respect human rights for all in the discharge of their duties.
He has, therefore, urged all police officers to show respect in the execution of their daily duties.
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"I urge my police officers to show respect and civility to members of the public in the course of performing their day-to-day duties. As police officers, we should respect and protect the human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons," he stated.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a new police station at New Winneba off the Winneba-Swedru Road yesterday.
The third facility to be financed and inaugurated in the municipality within a year, the police station was funded by the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, with support from the beneficiary communities.
It has cells, a charge office, offices and a conference room as well as washrooms.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh said the vision of the service could only be realised if the men and women of the Police Service exhibited professionalism in their dealings with the general public. It also requires effective police-public cooperation, collaboration and partnership, he said.
The IGP commended Mr Afenyo-Markin for the relentless commitment and effort which had ensured the successful completion of the station in support of the Ghana Police Service, saying it would address the security concerns of the rapidly increasing population and expansion of socio-economic activities in Effutu.
Law and order
Mr Oppong-Boanuh stated that the police were determined to maintain law and order in the country as expected but added that it needed the cooperation of the public to be effective.
“Any criminal who thinks he can commit a crime and run away, we assure him we will chase them to wherever they are," he stated.
"We need your cooperation since the police cannot do it all alone,” he said, adding that the support from Mr Afenyo-Markin attested to the fact that modern security was a shared responsibility.
He entreated all persons to respect the rule of law and follow procedures, rules and regulations in all their endeavours to promote peace, law and order.
He particularly appealed to the youth of the area to work in harmony with the police in combating crime and to desist from attacking police personnel in the event of conflicts or misunderstanding.
"If you are not happy with something they do please don't take the law into your own hands. Please my appeal is that do not attack the police.
"We have the opinion leaders and chiefs and other well-meaning people in the communities, please take it to them and let them help in resolving such issues,” he said, urging them to use all the channels available to resolve conflicts.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh noted that Winneba was counted among the fastest growing towns in the country and it had, therefore, become necessary to prioritise security to enhance economic development for improved livelihood.
He observed that the wide stretch of beach resorts with a number of restaurants dotted along the coast coupled with the world acclaimed Aboakyir Festival with their potential tourism potential and the many educational institutions required a high level of security.
“This facility has, therefore, come at the right time. The numerous educational institutions that are located within the Effutu enclave with their increasing number of students, both local and international, is a testimony that improved security is required to ensure the safety of the communities.
“These facilities will, therefore, help the service to serve Winneba and its environs better by bringing policing to the doorstep of the people in the communities.
“The jurisdictional areas of the Winneba Police Division cover the Effutu Municipality and parts of the Gomoa Central District. The division has only Effutu East and Effutu West Police District under it. This is inadequate to ensure effective police visibility, crime prevention and faster incident response time,” the IGP stated.
New districts
Mr Oppong-Boanuh said it had become imperative for the creation of an additional police district and stations, saying the new station would be named as Effutu North District Police Headquarters with the New Winneba Police Station and Ateitu Police Station under its command.
He said the jurisdictional areas of the new police district within the Winneba Division would cover the towns, including the New Winneba, Ansaful, Aseibu, Gomoa Mampong, Mpota, Adawukwa, Bewadze, Pomadze, Oguaakrom, Awombrew, Chapers, Pamfokrom and Ateitu.
The Central Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCOP Habiba Twumasi-Sarpong, in her address said the new police station to the community would provide services in the areas of crime control, which included reducing crime, the fear of crime and promoting peaceful communities, adding that the edifice would boost the morale of police officers.
She advised personnel who would be posted to the station to act to maintain the integrity of the service. "I encourage you to work with a strong sense of duty, service and integrity," she stated.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said he was committed to work together with the people and institutions to better the lot of the Effutu communities.
Infrastructure development
He said the provision of a library, school, market and other facilities in and around New Winneba and financial support for some constituents to better their lot were indicative of his commitment to improve the living conditions of the people.
He called for support to ensure the police were successful in providing security in the area.
The Chief of New Winneba, Neenyi Kow Gyan, who represented the Omanhen thanked the MP and the police service for the effort and appealed for the rising incidence of land guards in the area to be tackled.
The IGP later presented two computers and two printers to the division while the MP also donated two vehicles.