Members of the SDG Goal 16 sub-platform have held a meeting with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the current state of security in Ghana.
The group which entailed a 10-member delegation from different civil society organizations paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General of Police at the National Police Headquarters, on 15 July 2021 to discuss and dialogue on the current state of Security in the country and how CSOs do to help to improve the situation.
The CSO listed a recent spate of armed robberies in Accra and across the country, including broad daylight robberies resulting in the loss of lives and properties.
The Ejura shooting incident which is currently under investigation, #FixThe Country brouhaha, the imminent threat of terrorist attacks as some of the worrying indicators in the country that has led the group to seek the audience with the IGP.
The IGP expressed gratitude to the Goal 16 platform for taking the initiative. He noted that the Ejura killing was unfortunate and they have arranged to counsel for some of the victim’s family.
He shared that even though the crime rate seems to be on the rise in 2021, the numbers are not more than that of 2020, 2021 around the same time last year.
He acknowledged that the level of atrocity committed in the currently reported crimes is more serious.
He assured the group that Ghana Police is working hard to overcome their challenges to improve the security situation.
The IGP encouraged the CSOs to carry out more advocacy and education to educate the general populace about some of the laws regarding peace.
He also calls for more education for his men and the general public with support from the CSOs.
The CSOs also made the following recommendations;
1. Increase Police to citizen’s ratio
2. Increase the visibility of the police
3. Review training modules of recruits to be more human rights centered and improve police citizen's relations and crowd control
4. Review recruitment policies to avoid politicization of the police force
5. Need to improve the professionalism of the police to improve public Trust
6. Collaborate more with CSOs
The goal 16 sub-platform pledged its support to the IGP and his team.
SDG16 CONVENING TEAM
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith