Former member of Parliament for Ledzokuku constituency, Bernard Okoe Boye has on Wednesday June 16, 2021 urged the government to provide security personnel with right protective gears that will protect them from criminals.
The former MP said the country must make it a priority to provide funding for the police service that will be used in procuring protective gears and subsequently given to every police officer who will be on duty so they can always be safegaurded.
Dr. Okoe Boye made this comment while reacting to recent criticism on the lack of bulletproof vest in the Ghana Police Service.
“I think I want to join others to say that, as a country, whatever funds the police need, we must work to make sure that every policeman who steps out with a weapon gets a bulletproof vest. This one is a national call, all of us must come together. And you see that’s one thing we don’t do a lot in Africa but outside there can even be a private initiative like a trust where they go like: we are raising $10 million to give every policeman a vest. The point I’m making is that, there is a lot that we can do as citizens to support the police in this country”, he urged the government.
He also advised the government to promote police personnel based on output which will ensure effective execution of work that will curb crime in the country.
“Our police must be promoted or get incentives based on output. It appears in this country promotion is by default, how many years you have been around. I always give the example with Ledzokuku, whoever is the police commander, if there are ten reports or complaints of crime, once you say that solving 30% is what will guarantee the next promotion, you will go and meet a director who on his own will send his men to go after people to solve a problem. The way things are now, a policeman will be paid whether he looks at your case or not.
“I am not saying the police are significantly inadequate, the point I’m making is that when we start to restructure our HR policies and to reward people based on output, it will significantly change the game”, he stated.
He made this comment while speaking on TV3’s New Day show.
