“We are not in heaven,” IGP tells persons calling for his resignation
"There is no society in the world where there is no crime. Even in the USA, UK, and Sweden, where they, more or less have everything, they still have crime"
The Inspector-General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh has called on the general public to be patient with the Police amidst the recent spate of crime and robbery attacks in the country. His comments come on the back of heightened calls for his resignation, in the face of the high rate of crime in recent times.
The IGP noted that the prevalence of crime is not novel to Ghanaian society. According to him, even developed countries around the world “who have everything” still battle with crimes such as armed robbery and related gun violence. Consequently, he has reasoned that it will be disingenuous to suggest that the recent hike in crime, including daylight robberies, is indigenous to Ghana.
“We are doing what we can to protect the people of Ghana. There is no society in the world where there is no crime. Even in the USA, UK, and Sweden, where they, more or less have everything, they still have crime. The only place that doesn’t have crime is heaven and we are not in heaven,” the IGP told journalists after visiting the home of the late Police Constable General, Emmanuel Osei, who lost his life after armed robbers opened fire on the bullion van he was escorting on Monday, June 14, 2021.
The IGP added that the Police Service is committed to dealing with the challenges that have recently surfaced. He revealed that the number of security persons deployed on road patrols has been increased to match the growing insecurities.
“Normally, in a security system, if you have a strategy and the strategy is breached, you go back, regroup and after making your assessment, you try to amend those breaches and that is exactly what we are going to do,” he added.
Meanwhile, he has assured the family of the deceased that the Police would intensify its efforts to seek proper redress and bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
“We are investigating; which we have already set in motion. If you recall, yesterday we released a statement, and before that, I had instructed the CID to take over the case, and that is the level of seriousness we have attached to the case. So, they have started investigations. And as I have indicated, we will definitely get them.”
The robbers who attacked the bullion van made away with an undisclosed amount of money, the gun of the policeman, and took the life of another innocent bystander when another staff on the van tried to run away to safety during the sporadic shootout by the robbers.
