By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
The Ejura Police District in Ashanti has been upgraded to a Division in compliance with a recommendation by the Justice Kingsley Koomson Committee set up to unravel circumstances that led to the June 2021 riot that caused the deaths of two persons and injuries to others.
At a ceremony to inaugurate the Ejura Police Division under the newly created Ashanti North Police Region, the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery assured that, even though government has taken steps towards the implementation of recommendations by the Justice Kingsley Koomson Committee in promoting peace and security in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality, this could be achieved only when all the stakeholder individuals and groups commit themselves to sustainable peace and progress.
Ejura, as a vibrant agrarian and commercial town, has one of the highest populations of foreign nationals and settlers in the Ashanti region, a situation which has been blamed partly for the appreciable high rate of crime and social deviance among the residents.
Among these anti-social activities are intermittent highway robbers, theft, and occasional violent clashes, particularly among the youth. It therefore came as little surprise when one such violent incident erupted in June 2021.
This came about following the unnatural death of a social activist, Ibrahim Mohammed affectionately called Kaaka, at Ejura, which caused a confrontation between some youth of the town and the Police and Military resulting in the deaths of two young men and injuries to four others.
The Report of a three-member fact-finding Committee set up by the government to unravel circumstances of the incident recommended, among others, the enhancement of the security presence and police personnel operating in the community to match up to safety and security demands in the area.
It is in helping government implement this that the Ejura Traditional Council led by the Chief, Nana Barima Osei Hwedie, initiated measures towards upgrading the Police District at Ejura to Divisional status.
The project, whose construction spanned two years with funds from donations from citizens, well-wishers, and philanthropists locally and abroad, has culminated in the completion of the one storey 18-office Divisional Headquarters at Ejura, which also hosts the District Police.
The facility has three holding cells for both males and females with washrooms and a charge office, among other relevant facilities, with the premises equipped with a 24-hour security surveillance system.
It cost the Ejura Traditional Council two point-eight million Ghana Cedis with a Nigerian philanthropist, Alhaji Dr. Muhammadu Indimi, contributing 50 thousand Dollars.
The Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Derry, lauded the initiative of the Ejura Traditional Council.
The Minister noted that government has been implementing recommendations in the Report of the Facts-Finding Committee so as to ensure peace and security in Ejura and its surrounding communities.
Mr. Derry said the current police administration has performed creditably in upholding the right of citizens to demonstrate while promoting professionalism among its personnel, leading to a check on the crime rate in the country.
According to him, as part of the implementation of the Committee’s Recommendations, a Formed Police Base has already been set up and is appreciably helping to maintain peace in the area.
The Ejurahene, Nana Barima Osei Hwedie, noted that it took great sacrifice by the traditional council to achieve the objective and that a military base is also to be established very soon to augment the work of the police in keeping peace and security in the environs.
Nana Barima Osei Hwedie disclosed also that he has constructed additional office spaces for the Ghana National Fire Service, a residential accommodation for the Medical Superintendent of the Government Hospital as well as sung boreholes for 60 of the communities within the traditional area.
The Director General of Administration of the Ghana Police Service, CoP Tetteh Yohonu, described the gesture by the Ejura Traditional Council as a good example of how society could collaborate with the Police to maintain peace.
He said the police will always treat citizens with respect and dignity and uphold their human rights while punishing any police officer who displays unprofessionalism in the performance of their duties.