The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), a faith-based organization, has made recommendations for security agencies and Government’s consideration in a bid to curb the spike of crimes, especially armed robbery in the country.
The recommendations come in wake of the recent robbery attack on a bullion van believed to be carting money to a bank, whose security escort was shot dead togther with a petty trader at Adedenpo, Korle-bu in Accra.
As an organization whose member churches and individuals are affected by the happenings of the day, the Council deemed it necessary, as a matter of concern and a subject of a democratic rule, to outline seven measures the Government and the security agencies can adopt to protect the lives of the citizenry from such vices.
The recommendations are as follows:
1. Police needs retooling and retraining. Police must be adequately equipped to fight crime. To make the Police institution more effective in their operations, there is a need for adequate resources. The average Police officer must have all the necessary modern tools and gadgets to fight crime. In achieving this, the council wishes to call for the establishment of “Security Fund” (SECFUND) where a percentage of the tax collected can be geared towards the retooling, training and resourcing of the Police Service to raise their standard to international best practice.
2. There must be ultimatum for the financial institutions to provide modern and internationally acceptable bullion vans following the IGP’s meeting with the Bank of Ghana and the Association of Bankers on Tuesday, 15th June, 2021.
3. Armed robbery should be treated or elevated to the level of terrorist attack hence the army should assist the police in the combat of crime. The police in most cases know where the armed robbers are, hence the need for a joint army and police to raid them from their hide outs.
4. Citizens should collaborate with the security agencies to willingly provide information on any criminal activities.
5. The Chief Justice should arrange a fast track court system to deal with all such criminal offenses.
6. All landlords and tenants must report questionable life styles of tenants they live with to the appropriate security officers
7. The rate of unemployment may have contributed to the increased in social vices, including armed robbery, confident tricksters, fraud and lately contract murderers and kidnappers. A desperate and unemployed youth may want to find every available means to survive. Therefore we strongly admonish government to be more proactive and partner with the private sector to create employment opportunities for the unemployed youth.
