Lawyer Saeed Abdul Shakur, the Principal State Attorney for the Upper West Region, has asked the police force to uphold its standing in the enforcement of the law.
The report that listed the police department as the most corrupt institution, according to him, is about reputation, which affects how the public views the institution.
He was speaking at a brief ceremony in Wa when the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council honored seven policewomen who had worked in the area for at least 14 years.
The Principal State said “Reputation is everything. This is specifically to the police. There is nothing so costly to spend when it is about your reputation. The last time those people came out with a report, the said the police were the most corrupt and prosecutors were in third place as far as corruption was concerned. But this is all about perception, this is about reputation and that informs how society will look at us.”
He asserted that those who work with the police are all too aware of how deserving of praise, how highly regarded they are, and how willing they are to do everything to uphold that reputation.
“If you take just a casual stroll in town, any person that meets a military man will assume without even finding out that this is an honorable man. So, if a military man stands in front of you, they are likely to obey instructions and orders from the military than the police……”
He argues that the Upper West Region is among the hardest regions for law enforcement officers to work because residents will do anything to protect family members who commit crimes of all kinds, from misdemeanors to felonies.
“But I know and those of us who have worked with you especially those who have worked in wa, this is one of the most difficult places for any public service worker and it is 10 times more difficult for an average law enforcement person, you know why? Because TIJAABUNYENI. An average person that lives in wa is prepared to sell and buy crime at any price to the extend that the criminal is a family member.”
“Those who are to be awarded today, know too well that what we call service is a very undulating terrain. You can climb so fast and you can fall so fast. Nobody will talk about our achievements; people glorify our mistakes. So, all of you must be very careful.” He noted.
His Excellency Mahmud Khalid, a former ambassador to Mali, hailed the event as significant for both the recipients of the award and the regional security organizations, adding that the awardees had a duty to be honorable servants.
The society will even demand more of them in terms of service quality, he continued, and he asked the populace to work with the security authorities to safeguard lives and property.
Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the regional minister for the Upper West, disclosed that the Inspector General of Police had notified him that funds had been set aside so that construction on the regional police headquarters could resume.
Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih also informed the gathering that he has tasked every Municipal and District Assemblies to donate 200 bags of cement each, which will be given to the management of the Ghana Police Service to aid in the building of the regional police headquarters.
“We are also going to appeal to worthy sons and daughters of the region to contribute to the construction of a befitting police headquarters of the region.” He added.
Prof. Daniel Bagah, a member of the Council of State in the Upper West Region, also urged the recipients of the award to serve as advocates and lobby authorities to build a police hospital and headquarters that are appropriate for the region.
