The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, has urged personnel of the Ghana Police Service in the Bawku enclave to ensure high level of discipline and professionalism to maintain the prevailing peace in the area.
He said it was only when personnel of the Service executed their mandate with high sense of integrity that members of the communities would effectively cooperate with them and contribute to the relative peaceful coexistence currently enjoyed in the area.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh made the call at Bawku in the Upper East Region when he addressed personnel of the Service as part of a three-day working visit to the Region.
The visit was necessitated by the recent violent attacks, especially high profile armed robbery in parts of the Region, creating fear and insecurity among residents.
The IGP toured some crime scenes in the Region and interacted with some traders particularly tomatoes sellers and transporters associations, to have first-hand information about the crime situation and collaborate with the Regional Police Command to review implementation strategies to improve security.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh who commended the personnel for their diligence and hard work, which had contributed to curtailing crime and violence in the Bawku enclave, advised them not to engage in activities that would bring the name of the profession into disrepute.
“I am particularly happy about Bawku because the police are with the community, strategizing with them to fight crime and that is why in Bawku Township, for some time now, we have not recorded any crime and other related violence.
“We are happy to see that there is a volleyball team and a keep fit team formed by the various ethnic groups, the police and other security agencies,” he added.
The IGP noted that even though there was relative peace in the area, more personnel were needed to augment the efforts of the personnel and promised to deploy more officers to the Region to assist combat crime in hard to reach communities.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh indicated that the leadership was working to address challenges confronting their ability to deliver effectively and advised personnel to take their health issues seriously and ensure they stayed healthy and active.
The IGP disclosed that the Service had revived the Psychology and Counseling Unit and some psychologists would soon be deployed across all regions in the country to attend to personnel.
The IGP was accompanied by Superintendent Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, Director in charge of Public Affairs, Commissioner of Police Mr Kweku Boadu Preprah, the Director General of Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Sayibu Pabi Gariba, Director of Operations, DCOP Mr Kwaku Osei Ampofo-Duku, the Upper East Regional Police Commander among other senior officers.
