A former Member of Parliament for the Okaikoi North Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Fuseini Issah, has asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to sit up and deal with increasing cases of armed robbery in parts of the country.
According to him, these incidents are quite troubling for the country and must be tackled with all the seriousness it requires.
Mr. Issah’s call comes on the back of the latest robbery attack in broad daylight on Monday, June 14, 2021, leading to the killing of a young police officer and a trader at James town in Accra.
There have been a series of robbery incidents in Accra in particular in the last month, which are mostly carried out brazenly in the full glare of the public.
This, the former lawmaker insists cannot be allowed to continue.
Speaking on Citi TV’s Breakfast Daily programme on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, Fuseini Issah described these incidents as unfortunate.
He thus called on the IGP and the entire leadership of the police administration to up their game.
“I won’t be here to defend the Police Service because I believe that it is their responsibility to ensure that when we go to bed, we can actually sleep and that our properties are actually safe. But regarding this issue, investigations are very fluid and these are very unfortunate circumstances, and we really urge the IGP and the entire police administration to be on the beat to forestall some of these things.”
He, however, rejected claims by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, that the recent issues are a result of a “breakdown in law and order” superintended over by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
According to him, such claims are unfounded and must be ignored outrightly.
“Looking at the general security situation in the country like the Minority Leader wants us to believe, I don’t know what he seeks to achieve by actually opening up the pandora’s box and putting out there that there is a state of insecurity, I totally disagree.”
“I think the government of the NPP led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not reneged on its responsibility to improve upon our security situation in this country.”
What has the IGP done so far about the bullion van attack?
Following the latest bullion van attack, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, has instructed the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), to takeover investigations into the matter.
The IGP’s directive was contained in a press statement issued on Monday by the police and signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Shiella Kessie Abayie-Buckman.
“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh has directed the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to take over investigations into the attack on a bullion van at Adedenpo, a suburb of James Town in Accra on Monday, June 14, 2021, which led to the murder of a police officer.
Meanwhile, the Police Chief has asked banks to provide fortified armoured vehicles for carting money by end of June this year, referring the banks to an earlier meeting that was held on the subject.
He warned that his officers will stop offering g that service to the banks if the standard bullion vans are not made available this month ending.
“The IGP is also reminding the Association of Bankers to provide fortified armoured vehicles for carting currencies by the close of June 2021 as earlier agreed between them and the Police Service, else the Police will withdraw its officers for escort duties,” the IGP warned in the statement.
