By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
A Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, has expressed displeasure about the growing criminality in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa, which used to be a peaceful community.
He indicated that, Wa now has “criminal mafia syndicates with urchins and leaders” that are known to the people.
Justice Kulendi therefore charged the citizens of Upper West to be agents of zero tolerance for crime and help the security agencies help the region regain its glory as a peaceful enclave.
He was speaking at a send-off party for the outgoing Regional Police Commander, DCOP Peter Ndekugri, in Wa.
Justice Kulendi paid tribute to DCOP Peter Ndekugri for his sterling services as a police officer in Upper West and entreated the citizens to help improve the successes chalked up in fighting crime during Mr Ndekugri’s tenure.
Justice Kulendi expressed candid sentiments about the security situation.
He said: “I love to come home, why should I be afraid when I am heading home to the place where I was born? This town used to be the most peaceful, God-fearing place you can find on the face of the planet. Now you are afraid on the highway, even when you are in the community, you cannot walk up and down at night in Wa and feel safe in the Upper West region. What has become of us? When did we lose our souls, our morality, our purity. When did we allow gain and short term gain and unearned rewards to erode our morals and make us crime romancing community.”
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, presented a citation to DCOP Ndekugri for his commitment to duty.
“We are here to celebrate a man who dedicated his service, loyalty and commitment to the people of Upper West Region. I got to know DCOP retired Ndekugri when he was first posted to the Upper West Region in 2002.”
DCOP Peter Ndekugri expressed appreciation to the Regional Coordinating Council and other stakeholders for their support during his tenure, as well as celebrating him whilst on pension and stressed the need for his successor to monitor the work of officers or men under him.
The New Regional Police Commander, ACP Prince Gabriel Waabu pledged to continue from from where DCOP Ndekugri left off.
A member of the Council of State, Professor Daniel D. Bagah who chaired the function stated that DCOP Ndekugri will remain one of the best servicemen in Upper West.
Among those who graced the occasion were, the Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, Peter Maala; Ambassador Mahmud Khalid; the Secretary of Upper West Regional Retired Police Officers Association, Damwaa Samuel Amidu; the UWR Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi Masroor Ahmad Muzaffah; the Principal State, Abdul Shakur Saeed; the UWR Chairman of the NPP, S.B. Kangbere and his counterpart from the NDC, Abdul-Nasir Saani, affectionately known as Bunas.
