Undoubtedly Ghana is a peaceful country. With unquestionable democratic credentials, the country is carving a niche for itself as a haven for investment and beacon of hope for Africa. The silver lining points to the fact that the country can witness quantum leaps in its development engagement to become a middle-income economy in future, more so when we are about to join other oil-producing countries as we begin the commercial production of oil and gas.
Our development efforts can, however, be easily truncated if we are not able to fight crime and reduce insecurity, violence, fear and panic.
Recent cases of armed robbery, rumours of rape and creation of fear and panic, especially when we are gliding towards the end of the year and for Christmas celebrations, have given cause for worry by all public-spirited citizens.
This explains why the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has sent yet another clearest message to such evil minds and social miscreants bent on derailing the process of development that they are bound to fail.
The President’s assurance could not have come at a better time.
Addressing the 50th anniversary celebration of the Upper East Region, the President indicated the unhappiness of the government about the situation where some people had taken it upon themselves to create fear and panic in the society and engender a feeling of insecurity among the people.
Although, the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) enjoins the Ghana Police Service to prevent and detect crime, apprehend and prosecute offenders, maintain law and order, and enforce the law, modern control of crime is now a shared responsibility.
The pursuance of community policing ensures that collectively the police and communities fight crime for the good of the rest of the larger society.
Again, a partnership between the police and members of the various communities can help in identifying accurately potential crime problems and responding proactively to address them.
Furthermore, community policing will change negative factors such as hostility, prejudice, apathy and ignorance into a positive corporate image that would portray the police service as one that is sympathetic, accommodating, interesting and knowledgeable.
The Daily Graphic is, however, worried sometimes about the unwillingness of the public to volunteer information about suspected criminals, who live in our communities, and yet complain about the rising rate of crime in the country.
Some of the suspected criminals, in most cases, are our relatives and we are aware of the harm they do to the rest of society.
We are sometimes even beneficiaries of their nefarious activities and so instead exposing them, we protect them at the peril of the rest of society.
The Daily Graphic calls on such characters to mend their ways if we are to make any headway in the fight against crime.
We passionately enjoin the public to give all police personnel every support, encouragement and information to enable them to achieve the purposes for which the police institution was established.
Additionally, it is our fervent prayer that as a nation, we should not allow politics and parochial interests to divide us in our common resolve to deal with social miscreants and crime.
The leadership of the Ghana Police Service has stated categorically that it will reduce crime by 20 per cent by the end of the year. Even with the limited resources at their disposal, they have demonstrated that they are prepared to defend the society and ensure security even at their peril.
All that the police require from members of the public is support in the fight against violent crime and other criminal activities in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment