Mahama condemns attacks on Ghanaian cops

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Ex-Ghana president John Mahama has condemned recent attacks meted out to security personnel in their line of duty.

The former President wants authorities to put in place stringent measures to help protect security officers in Ghana.

The NDC flagbearer was reacting to the killing of two police officers at Kasoa in the Central Region on Wednesday, August 28, 2019.

“Sad to learn, yet again, of the gruesome killing of two policemen in Kasoa. Our law enforcement officers are doing their best under very challenging circumstances to protect life and property. I, therefore, condemn the increasing spate of violence against them.

May their families be consoled and may the perpetrators be brought to justice sooner than later”, Mr. Mahama said in a Facebook post Thursday.

“We must put in place stringent measures to help protect our men in uniform”, he added.

Background

Sergeant Michael Gyamasi and Lance Corporal Awal Mohammed were killed by unidentified gunmen while on duty at the Kasoa-Winneba road in the Central Region.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The Inspector General of Police has also dispatched a team of investigators from Accra to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the officers, a police statement said.

Police targeted?

This brings to five—the number of police officers gruesomely murdered in the last 30 days.

On July 30, 2019, Corporal Agatha Nana Nabin with the Northern Regional Police Command was shot dead at a police checkpoint on the Tamale-Kumbungu road in the Sagnarigu District.

The report is that armed and masked men in a grey saloon car discharged their weapons after being stopped at the check-point.

The killers took away two rifles belonging to the deceased and her colleague who escaped.

Some “persons of interest” are standing trial in connection with the incident.

Corporal Bernard Antwi, 37, was attached to Manso Nkwanta Divisional Command in the Ashanti region.

His was found dead after working hours at Manso Abodom in the Amansie West District of the region on August 19, 2019.

Police are hunting for a key suspect as they interrogate three others as part of its investigations.

In less than 24 hours, another officer was also found dead while on duty at Akim-Swedru in the Eastern Region.

Lance Corporal Alhassan Asare has since been buried as police continue investigations.

Bulletproof

Speaking at the 2019 Annual Police Command Conference at Sogakope in the Volta Region, the police chief said the trend cannot be allowed to continue.

James Oppong Buanuh noted that the service had taken delivery of some bulletproof vests. “We have started distributing the 4,500 vests that we have received,” he said.

He added while measures are being put in place to protect the officer, the best crime control strategy is anchored on effective collaboration and partnership between communities and the police.

By J. Ofori, Daily Mail GH