From Sebastian R. Freiku
Sixty community protection guards have passed out of three months training to provide community policing at Asokwa, Atonsu and Ahinsan Estate in Kumasi.
The initiative is a collaboration between the assembly members of the beneficiary electoral areas and Greenbelt Security Services, (GRESSEL), a security firm, which provided the training.
Under the project, each electoral area selects 20 persons for training to assist the police voluntarily in community policing, with the aim of reducing the crime rate in the Kumasi Metropolis.
Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku, Director of GRESSEL, said public private community partnership was necessary to provide adequate security, and noted that the collaboration would not only help solve unemployment, but also help reduce crime, if not eliminate it.
According to him, the police population of less than 25,000 was not encouraging, saying the country needed about 200,000 police personnel to ensure that the populace was adequately protected.
Director Doku reminded the recruits that theirs was to provide auxiliary services and help the police fight crime, and not to assume the full powers of the police.
He charged them to be serious in discharging their duties, since the community would also monitor their activities.
Nana Fi Bamoah II, Asokwahene, who reviewed a parade of the passing out ceremony, noted that security was important in the day to day activities of society, and commended the assembly members for their efforts at ensuring adequate security for the area.
Nana Bamoah reminded the volunteers to be guarded by the fact that there was a marked difference between a security guard and the police, and cautioned them not to overstep their bounds in the discharge of their duties.
Nana Yaw Wiredu, Assembly Member for Ahinsan and Chief of Nyamekrom in the New Juaben Municipality in the Eastern Region, lauded the encouragement of the police for community policing, and commended Greenbelt Security Services Company for their contribution towards combating crime.
The Assembly Member urged residents to expose criminals among them, and further called on the community to motivate the guards, in order that they give off their best.
DSP Bawah of the Asokwa Police Command gave the assurance that his outfit would map out security strategies with GRESSEL, private individuals and volunteers to complement the efforts of the police in fighting crime at the local level.
He cautioned the recruits, not to be tempted to enrich themselves by their activities as security guards in the locality.
Mr. Francis K. Tenge, Security Co-ordinator of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), also cautioned the volunteers not to bully members of the public.
The passing out parade coincided with the official commissioning of an office of Greenbelt Security Services at Ahinsan Estate.
Pix 1: The Asokwahene inspecting the parade
Pix 2: Nana Bamoah assisted by Nana Abena Akyiaa, Queenmother of Asokwa to commission the GRESSEL office