The Vice Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, Ophelia Mensah Hayford Kwansah, says the fatal bullion van robbery incident is not an indication of a state of insecurity in Ghana.
Her comment follows the gruesome killing of General Constable Emmanuel Osei and a trader who were shot by armed robbers at Jamestown during an attack on a bullion van carting money.
According to the retired police officer, the incident is an isolated one that should not be used as a measure of the state of security in the country.
“I think we should look at this incident as an isolated attack on the Police, and not insecurity within the country. The complaints of insecurity is a matter of concern, but it does not depict the whole country. This is an isolated case which we are going to deal with” she said.
Speaking on the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman said the police officer’s death was unfortunate, adding that the Police will work to find the perpetrators of the crime.
“The general security of the populace or the country is not at stake. It is unfortunate that this incident happened, but as an ex-police officer, I believe in the police administration and I know they will conduct an in-depth investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to book. These things happen once a while, sometimes they go underground and then strike once in a while, but we won’t say this is insecurity, the police have been on top of issues.”
“Last week I met with the committee, and we had some deliberations and came up with guidelines and procedures and recommendations that we are going to bring up for the general security of the country, and it’s unfortunate that before we could roll it out this incident happened”.
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 take over 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.
