Page 46: Daily Graphic, June 3, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has strengthened safeguards in its recruitment procedures to prevent miscreants from being enlisted into the Ghana Police Service.
In line with that, persons seeking recruitment into the service will have to go through more rigorous physical, background and certificate checks before they are recruited.
According to the Police Administration, no one will be exempted from the selection criteria and those who do not measure up to the new requirements will not be entertained.
The Police Administration has fixed the latter part of June or early July, this year for the next recruitment exercise by which time a number of ongoing accommodation projects would have been handed over to the service.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, told the Daily Graphic that recruitment into the service would be handled in a manner that would make it impossible for miscreants or persons without the calling to join the Ghana Police Service.
He said the Police Administration had set a criteria for subsequent recruitment into the service and anyone who did not meet the requirements would not be recruited.
“This is what we term positive purging. We will check every information provided, the references, verification of certificates and qualifications, among others,” he said.
Mr Quaye said the Police Administration was already having problems with some persons on protocol enlistment or those recommended by persons in positions of trust.
He said if it was found that an applicant lied while providing information, that person’s name would be deleted from the list and also would be liable for prosecution.
He added that there would be no wholesale passing out as was the case in the past.
According to him, the attitude, character, comportment and performance of trainees would be assessed and anyone who fell short of any of the training requirements would be sent home.
Mr Quaye said the new training regime required that any trainee who was repeated once would not be allowed to be repeat for the second time while an outright failure would warrant dismissal.
“We want to ensure that those who pass-out are those who deserve to wear the uniform,” he said.
The IGP said the curriculum for police training was being revised, and instructors would also have to meet the requisite capabilities of instructors.
Mr Quaye said after trainees had also passed out, he or she would be under probation for one year during which they would be monitored and observed.
“If the reports from the supervisors are favourable, the Police Administration will then endorse or confirm the enlistment into the service,” he added.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
CID overwhelmed by cases
Page 59: Daily Graphic, May 24, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service is overwhelmed by the number of cases reported to it.
Out of a total of 243,769 cases reported to the CID last year, more than 187,933 of them are still under investigations.
The inability of the CID to deal with the numerous cases had been attributed to the neglect in terms of training of its personnel to update their investigative skills.
Personnel of the CID had since late year started a retraining programme to sharpen their investigative skills.
The figure 243,769 represents a 1.6 per cent increase in the 239,823 cases reported in 2008.
Out of the cases reported in 2009, 8,322 were rejected for investigations while 16,462 cases were closed.
Crime statistics contained in the CID’s 2009 annual report indicated that 31,052 of the reported cases were sent to court resulting in 10,352 convictions, 1,115 acquitals while 19,585 cases were still awaiting trial.
The statistics indicated that assault cases topped the list of reported cases; stealing 89,407; threatening, 61,711; fraud, 24,959; causing damage, 18,906; causing harm, 10,944; defilement, 3,368; robbery,1,373; unlawful entry, 1387 and rape 447 cases.
Touching on major offences, the statistics indicated that there was a general decline in narcotic offences for 2009 as compared to 2008 with 679 cases in 2009 as against 714 cases in 2008 representing a decline of 4.9 per cent.
The number of murder cases for 2009 declined from 430 in 2008 to as 427 2008, rape from 485 in 2008 to 447 in 2009; defilement 1,675 to 1,604 in 2009 with robbery registering 1,373 in 2009 as against 1449 in 2008.
Among its achievements, the CID mentioned the arrest of five soldiers who kidnapped the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, suspects who killed a pastor, a gang who usually trailed and robbed immigrants at the Kotoka International Airport, the arrest of fugitive Mathew Allen Osei and a French national, who tried to export pornographic materials of Ghanaian women and children.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service is overwhelmed by the number of cases reported to it.
Out of a total of 243,769 cases reported to the CID last year, more than 187,933 of them are still under investigations.
The inability of the CID to deal with the numerous cases had been attributed to the neglect in terms of training of its personnel to update their investigative skills.
Personnel of the CID had since late year started a retraining programme to sharpen their investigative skills.
The figure 243,769 represents a 1.6 per cent increase in the 239,823 cases reported in 2008.
Out of the cases reported in 2009, 8,322 were rejected for investigations while 16,462 cases were closed.
Crime statistics contained in the CID’s 2009 annual report indicated that 31,052 of the reported cases were sent to court resulting in 10,352 convictions, 1,115 acquitals while 19,585 cases were still awaiting trial.
The statistics indicated that assault cases topped the list of reported cases; stealing 89,407; threatening, 61,711; fraud, 24,959; causing damage, 18,906; causing harm, 10,944; defilement, 3,368; robbery,1,373; unlawful entry, 1387 and rape 447 cases.
Touching on major offences, the statistics indicated that there was a general decline in narcotic offences for 2009 as compared to 2008 with 679 cases in 2009 as against 714 cases in 2008 representing a decline of 4.9 per cent.
The number of murder cases for 2009 declined from 430 in 2008 to as 427 2008, rape from 485 in 2008 to 447 in 2009; defilement 1,675 to 1,604 in 2009 with robbery registering 1,373 in 2009 as against 1449 in 2008.
Among its achievements, the CID mentioned the arrest of five soldiers who kidnapped the Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, suspects who killed a pastor, a gang who usually trailed and robbed immigrants at the Kotoka International Airport, the arrest of fugitive Mathew Allen Osei and a French national, who tried to export pornographic materials of Ghanaian women and children.
Ex-convict nabbed for stealing
Page 59: Daily Graphic, May 24, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A NIGERIAN, who was released from the Ivorian prison on May 3, this year, has been arrested in Accra for breaking into three cars.
Ben Okosisi, who had in his possession, his release documents from the Ivorian authorities, had on May 11, 2010, broken into a car at Takoradi and made away with personal effects and GH¢600 belonging to his victim.
The suspect then relocated to Accra where at about 10pm on May 13, 2010, broke into two cars at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
He was, however, arrested at about the same time on May 14, 2010 when he went back to the KIA to rob again.
The Accra Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Frank Adu-Fati told newsmen in Accra today when the suspect was arrested on May 14, 2010, the key to a named hotel was found him.
He said the police, therefore, took him to the hotel for a search in the room.
According to him, a number of items including pen drives, documents and personal effects were found in the suspect’s bag.
Supt. Adu-Fati said an Electricity Company of Ghana form and a personal loan application form with an address in Takoradi was retrieved from him.
He said when the police called the contact number on the form, the owner claimed his car was broken into on May 11, 2010 at about 7pm in Takoradi and the items including a Motorola wireless radio, were stolen.
Supt. Adu-Fati said the suspect allegedly claimed he used a sharp object to open the cars.
He said the suspect’s release form from the Ivorian prison authorities, which was also retrieved from him, indicated that Okosisi served 24 months in prison for causing harm to someone he fought with.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A NIGERIAN, who was released from the Ivorian prison on May 3, this year, has been arrested in Accra for breaking into three cars.
Ben Okosisi, who had in his possession, his release documents from the Ivorian authorities, had on May 11, 2010, broken into a car at Takoradi and made away with personal effects and GH¢600 belonging to his victim.
The suspect then relocated to Accra where at about 10pm on May 13, 2010, broke into two cars at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
He was, however, arrested at about the same time on May 14, 2010 when he went back to the KIA to rob again.
The Accra Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Frank Adu-Fati told newsmen in Accra today when the suspect was arrested on May 14, 2010, the key to a named hotel was found him.
He said the police, therefore, took him to the hotel for a search in the room.
According to him, a number of items including pen drives, documents and personal effects were found in the suspect’s bag.
Supt. Adu-Fati said an Electricity Company of Ghana form and a personal loan application form with an address in Takoradi was retrieved from him.
He said when the police called the contact number on the form, the owner claimed his car was broken into on May 11, 2010 at about 7pm in Takoradi and the items including a Motorola wireless radio, were stolen.
Supt. Adu-Fati said the suspect allegedly claimed he used a sharp object to open the cars.
He said the suspect’s release form from the Ivorian prison authorities, which was also retrieved from him, indicated that Okosisi served 24 months in prison for causing harm to someone he fought with.
Ultimatum to Novotel traders
Front Page: Daily Graphic, May 22, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) have resolved that all traders at the Novotel Trading Park should relocate to the Pedestrian Mall at Odawna by Sunday.
The resolution was arrived at after an emergency RCC meeting yesterday to review the decision of the AMA to move the traders to the pedestrian mall.
The RCC had, in a letter dated May 5, 2010 and signed by its Chief Director, Mr F.T. Nartey, directed the AMA “to put on hold any movement of the traders from Novotel area to Odawna” until the RCC was convinced that the situation on the ground was conducive for the traders to move in.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the joint meeting, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, said although some minor works needed to be done, the RCC had directed the AMA to complete them latest by today to facilitate the movement of the traders.
He said some of the works included the completion of the fence wall, access for rain water to pass into the main drains and compacting the ground.
The regional minister said the AMA was also asked to move in swiftly to settle the differences among the traders and prevent their ranks from being split along political lines.
Nii Ashitey said the AMA was also tasked to set up a management team to supervise the allocation of stalls and the movement of the traders to avoid further confusion.
According to him, some of the leaders of the traders had been accused of collecting money from the traders before allocating them stalls, saying that was not in the scheme of things for the resettlement.
The movement of the Novotel traders had generated tension between the traders and the AMA and also created a wedge between the RCC and the AMA, as the assembly felt the RCC was interfering in its work.
In the heat of the confusion, claims of ownership of the park plunged the matter into further controversy, with two other organisations claiming ownership of the land, as the authorities of the Kinbu Senior High/Technical School and representatives of a company, Dream Reality Limited, which claims to have acquired the property from the Accra City Management Company (ACMC), also entered the fray.
Yesterday’s meeting did not, however, discuss the issue of the ownership of the land, as that is to be handled at another level.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) have resolved that all traders at the Novotel Trading Park should relocate to the Pedestrian Mall at Odawna by Sunday.
The resolution was arrived at after an emergency RCC meeting yesterday to review the decision of the AMA to move the traders to the pedestrian mall.
The RCC had, in a letter dated May 5, 2010 and signed by its Chief Director, Mr F.T. Nartey, directed the AMA “to put on hold any movement of the traders from Novotel area to Odawna” until the RCC was convinced that the situation on the ground was conducive for the traders to move in.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the joint meeting, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, said although some minor works needed to be done, the RCC had directed the AMA to complete them latest by today to facilitate the movement of the traders.
He said some of the works included the completion of the fence wall, access for rain water to pass into the main drains and compacting the ground.
The regional minister said the AMA was also asked to move in swiftly to settle the differences among the traders and prevent their ranks from being split along political lines.
Nii Ashitey said the AMA was also tasked to set up a management team to supervise the allocation of stalls and the movement of the traders to avoid further confusion.
According to him, some of the leaders of the traders had been accused of collecting money from the traders before allocating them stalls, saying that was not in the scheme of things for the resettlement.
The movement of the Novotel traders had generated tension between the traders and the AMA and also created a wedge between the RCC and the AMA, as the assembly felt the RCC was interfering in its work.
In the heat of the confusion, claims of ownership of the park plunged the matter into further controversy, with two other organisations claiming ownership of the land, as the authorities of the Kinbu Senior High/Technical School and representatives of a company, Dream Reality Limited, which claims to have acquired the property from the Accra City Management Company (ACMC), also entered the fray.
Yesterday’s meeting did not, however, discuss the issue of the ownership of the land, as that is to be handled at another level.
$1.9 Billion road map to transform Police Service
Front Page: Daily Graphic, May 20, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia & Timothy Gobah
THE Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, yesterday launched a $1.9 billion five-year Strategic National Policing Plan for the transformation and modernisation of the Ghana Police Service.
Emoluments and other incentives will require an additional $1 billion.
Under the road map strategic policy document, 16,000 additional personnel are to be recruited by 2014 to bring the total police strength to 40,000.
Four new police training schools are also to be established in the Upper West, Brong Ahafo, Western and Northern regions, while housing will be provided for 31,000 personnel of the service by 2014.
Although the Police Service requires 5,926 vehicles to enhance its operations, it currently has 1,512 and the plan will seek to address the challenges.
At the launch, which attracted retired Inspectors-General of Police, retired commissioners and members of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Mahama called on all stakeholders to contribute financially and materially to the attainment of the goals of the plan.
He said the government had already started with the implementation of the 2010-2014 strategic plan with the provision of funds for the completion of all ongoing or abandoned police projects across the country, while work was ongoing on the new Forensic and Ballistic Laboratory.
He said equipment, in the form of communication gadgets and vehicles, was being provided by the government.
The Vice-President said the Police Service was re-engineering itself through effective strategic planning in order to re-define its strategies to be consistent with international standards for it to continue to be relevant and respected both nationally and internationally.
He commended the police and the other security agencies for the work they had been doing to keep the country peaceful and secure, in spite of the numerous challenges they faced.
He, however, expressed regret that a few bad nuts continued to receive infamous mention in the media for one misdemeanour or another, casting a blemish on the sterling performance of the majority.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, noted that the strategic plan, which was a revised version of the old one, would be completely executed.
He said the financial resources needed for the implementation of the plan were beyond the government’s normal budgetary allocation.
He said the Police Administration would unveil each of the project-specific packages under the plan and conduct a fund-raising event to mobilise funds for their implementation.
The plan represents the second formal attempt by the Ghana Police Service to fulfil the combined specification of the strategic objectives, national policing targets and capacity-building programmes and activities to be implemented over the medium term of five years and beyond to 2020.
The purpose of the plan is to enable the service to focus on democratic policing practices, as mandated by the Constitution, in serving the communities and the people, first by reviewing prevailing socio-economic conditions, stakeholders’ expectations, other environmental factors, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the service.
Story: Albert K. Salia & Timothy Gobah
THE Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, yesterday launched a $1.9 billion five-year Strategic National Policing Plan for the transformation and modernisation of the Ghana Police Service.
Emoluments and other incentives will require an additional $1 billion.
Under the road map strategic policy document, 16,000 additional personnel are to be recruited by 2014 to bring the total police strength to 40,000.
Four new police training schools are also to be established in the Upper West, Brong Ahafo, Western and Northern regions, while housing will be provided for 31,000 personnel of the service by 2014.
Although the Police Service requires 5,926 vehicles to enhance its operations, it currently has 1,512 and the plan will seek to address the challenges.
At the launch, which attracted retired Inspectors-General of Police, retired commissioners and members of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Mahama called on all stakeholders to contribute financially and materially to the attainment of the goals of the plan.
He said the government had already started with the implementation of the 2010-2014 strategic plan with the provision of funds for the completion of all ongoing or abandoned police projects across the country, while work was ongoing on the new Forensic and Ballistic Laboratory.
He said equipment, in the form of communication gadgets and vehicles, was being provided by the government.
The Vice-President said the Police Service was re-engineering itself through effective strategic planning in order to re-define its strategies to be consistent with international standards for it to continue to be relevant and respected both nationally and internationally.
He commended the police and the other security agencies for the work they had been doing to keep the country peaceful and secure, in spite of the numerous challenges they faced.
He, however, expressed regret that a few bad nuts continued to receive infamous mention in the media for one misdemeanour or another, casting a blemish on the sterling performance of the majority.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, noted that the strategic plan, which was a revised version of the old one, would be completely executed.
He said the financial resources needed for the implementation of the plan were beyond the government’s normal budgetary allocation.
He said the Police Administration would unveil each of the project-specific packages under the plan and conduct a fund-raising event to mobilise funds for their implementation.
The plan represents the second formal attempt by the Ghana Police Service to fulfil the combined specification of the strategic objectives, national policing targets and capacity-building programmes and activities to be implemented over the medium term of five years and beyond to 2020.
The purpose of the plan is to enable the service to focus on democratic policing practices, as mandated by the Constitution, in serving the communities and the people, first by reviewing prevailing socio-economic conditions, stakeholders’ expectations, other environmental factors, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the service.
Korle Bu to conduct DNA tests from May 24
Page 51: Daily Graphic, Nay 20, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital will, from Monday, May 24, 2010, begin conducting human identification (DNA) tests.
That will make Ghana the second country after South Africa to have the capacity to carry out DNA tests on the continent.
The €178,000 molecular biology laboratory for the DNA chromosomal analysis will be manned by one of only two Ghanaian qualified and licensed biomedical scientists, Mr Augustine E. Sagoe.
The other Ghanaian is in South Africa, where he has been practising since he was licensed six years ago.
Even before it starts operations, the Korle-Bu DNA Paternity Centre, which is located in the Central Medical Laboratory building, has received more than 112 cases from the courts, individuals and medical practitioners.
The operation of the centre is seen as a major boost to making the nation’s premier hospital a one-stop health centre for the handling of all complicated cases.
Mr Sagoe told the Daily Graphic that the centre had also been registered and accepted internationally to make its findings acceptable to all institutions in the world.
He said it would also be used for DNA shuffling and library construction for criminal record keeping purposes and also to trace the genealogy of persons seven generations back.
He said the facility would make it easier to determine the history of medical conditions as to whether they ran through families or were by accident.
Throwing more light on the facility, Mr Sagoe said a survey he conducted at the courts in 2004 showed that there were a number of unresolved cases because DNA tests needed to be conducted to confirm certain findings before judgements could be given were not available.
Some of those cases, he said, involved rape and family issues.
According to him, the facility had been inundated with a large number of requests since the news broke last year that the hospital was to start running DNA services.
He said the analyser would also be of immense benefit to parents with hermaphrodite children to determine the dominant sex while they were young, since surgery would make it possible for such children to grow up to become ‘normal’ adults.
Mr Sagoe explained that the hospital had to add an equipment called Real Timer Polymerise Chain Reactor (PCR), a new technology used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule, explaining that its late arrival had delayed the installation process.
He, however, said all was now set for the commencement of work at the centre.
The Daily Graphic, in its August 26, 2009 edition, broke the news of the setting up of a DNA Paternity Centre at the nation’s premier hospital.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital will, from Monday, May 24, 2010, begin conducting human identification (DNA) tests.
That will make Ghana the second country after South Africa to have the capacity to carry out DNA tests on the continent.
The €178,000 molecular biology laboratory for the DNA chromosomal analysis will be manned by one of only two Ghanaian qualified and licensed biomedical scientists, Mr Augustine E. Sagoe.
The other Ghanaian is in South Africa, where he has been practising since he was licensed six years ago.
Even before it starts operations, the Korle-Bu DNA Paternity Centre, which is located in the Central Medical Laboratory building, has received more than 112 cases from the courts, individuals and medical practitioners.
The operation of the centre is seen as a major boost to making the nation’s premier hospital a one-stop health centre for the handling of all complicated cases.
Mr Sagoe told the Daily Graphic that the centre had also been registered and accepted internationally to make its findings acceptable to all institutions in the world.
He said it would also be used for DNA shuffling and library construction for criminal record keeping purposes and also to trace the genealogy of persons seven generations back.
He said the facility would make it easier to determine the history of medical conditions as to whether they ran through families or were by accident.
Throwing more light on the facility, Mr Sagoe said a survey he conducted at the courts in 2004 showed that there were a number of unresolved cases because DNA tests needed to be conducted to confirm certain findings before judgements could be given were not available.
Some of those cases, he said, involved rape and family issues.
According to him, the facility had been inundated with a large number of requests since the news broke last year that the hospital was to start running DNA services.
He said the analyser would also be of immense benefit to parents with hermaphrodite children to determine the dominant sex while they were young, since surgery would make it possible for such children to grow up to become ‘normal’ adults.
Mr Sagoe explained that the hospital had to add an equipment called Real Timer Polymerise Chain Reactor (PCR), a new technology used to amplify and simultaneously quantify a targeted DNA molecule, explaining that its late arrival had delayed the installation process.
He, however, said all was now set for the commencement of work at the centre.
The Daily Graphic, in its August 26, 2009 edition, broke the news of the setting up of a DNA Paternity Centre at the nation’s premier hospital.
GPRTU, AMA meeting ends in stalemate
Page 29: Daily Graphic, May 19, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A MEETING yesterday to help resolve the rumpus between the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) over the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was called off after officials of the GPRTU failed to submit their documented concerns.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, who called the meeting, had asked the GPRTU to submit its concerns on paper as a working document to facilitate the resolution of the impasse.
He urged the GPRTU to also suggest solutions on how to improve the project.
“I believe that we want to work with documents so that we will all be clear in our minds about the issues being dealt with,” he added.
Nii Ashitey expressed the hope that at the next meeting, all the chief executives of the various assemblies involved in the implementation of the project would be present.
The Department of Urban Roads (DUR) is seeking to modernise and streamline Accra’s public transportation system with the introduction of the BRT.
But the GPRTU is opposed to it because it contends that the project will keep most of its members out of job.
According to the AMA, the BRT system would involve comfortable and large buses, fixed transportation routes with designated stops, sheltered stations and all day and night service.
Passengers would have to pay their fares prior to boarding the bus through a formalised fare collection system, instead of to the bus conductors directly, and drivers would have to register as legal entities.
It is anticipated that the BRT buses will reduce congestion and air pollution because they will be able to service more commuters and will not have to wait to be filled before leaving each stop, since the drivers will be paid a fixed amount, instead of having their earnings depending on the number of passengers they carry.
The proposed BRT system, which will be implemented by the DUR, with the support of the Urban Transport Project, is jointly funded by the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, the French Agency for Development and the Global Environmental Trust Fund.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A MEETING yesterday to help resolve the rumpus between the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) over the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was called off after officials of the GPRTU failed to submit their documented concerns.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, who called the meeting, had asked the GPRTU to submit its concerns on paper as a working document to facilitate the resolution of the impasse.
He urged the GPRTU to also suggest solutions on how to improve the project.
“I believe that we want to work with documents so that we will all be clear in our minds about the issues being dealt with,” he added.
Nii Ashitey expressed the hope that at the next meeting, all the chief executives of the various assemblies involved in the implementation of the project would be present.
The Department of Urban Roads (DUR) is seeking to modernise and streamline Accra’s public transportation system with the introduction of the BRT.
But the GPRTU is opposed to it because it contends that the project will keep most of its members out of job.
According to the AMA, the BRT system would involve comfortable and large buses, fixed transportation routes with designated stops, sheltered stations and all day and night service.
Passengers would have to pay their fares prior to boarding the bus through a formalised fare collection system, instead of to the bus conductors directly, and drivers would have to register as legal entities.
It is anticipated that the BRT buses will reduce congestion and air pollution because they will be able to service more commuters and will not have to wait to be filled before leaving each stop, since the drivers will be paid a fixed amount, instead of having their earnings depending on the number of passengers they carry.
The proposed BRT system, which will be implemented by the DUR, with the support of the Urban Transport Project, is jointly funded by the Government of Ghana, the World Bank, the French Agency for Development and the Global Environmental Trust Fund.
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