Friday, April 23, 2010

ROBBERY, MURDER CASES REDUCE IN BRONG AHAFO (PAGE 35, APRIL 24, 2010)

Story: Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani

Recorded cases of armed robbery, murder and narcotics reduced in the Brong Ahafo Region at the end of 2009, according to the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Seth Charles Oteng.
The region recorded 58 cases of armed robbery in 2009, as against 77 in 2008, and out of these 21 suspects were apprehended by the police, with 20 of them currently on remand, while one person has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
DCOP Oteng, who was addressing the end-of-year get-together for personnel of the Ghana Police Service in the region, also indicated that 34 murder cases were recorded last year, as against 47 in 2008.
He indicated that in 2009, 35 narcotic cases were reported, as against 48 recorded the previous year, pointing out, however, that the reduction was achieved with challenges.
He explained that the region lost 75 policemen through death, retirement and transfer, adding that the number of policemen in the region was woefully inadequate, owing primarily to lack of residential accommodation for them.
Besides, DCOP Oteng said some districts and units lacked logistics such as vehicles to enable them to effectively perform their duties, while fuel supply to the service was also not regular.
In spite of those and other associated challenges and constraints, he stressed that the police worked assiduously to achieve the desired results and entreated the personnel to continue to work with more zeal and enthusiasm than they did the previous year in order to substantially reduce all manner of crime this year.
DCOP Oteng said policing today was not the sole preserve of men and women of the service but a partnership between the police and the public and reminded the public to embrace the neighbourhood watch concept to help protect lives and property in the communities.

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