The President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has questioned Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery’s stance that there is no cause for alarm as Ghana is relatively safer than other countries in the sub-region.

Recent reports of robbery attacks have put fear in some citizens, who have called on the government and the security agencies to up their game to arrest the situation.

Commenting on the issue, the Interior Minister vehemently rejected the assertion that the government has lost the fight against crime.

He insists the recent incidents of crime do not mean that crime is on the increase.

“We want to do better than we are doing now, but believe me, Ghana is safe; that is why all the other countries are running to Ghana,” he said.

The President of IMANI Africa finds it hard to accept Ambrose Dery’s position on the matter.

He wonders why there was the need to intensify security for Members of Parliament at some point, while in the case of the ordinary Ghanaian, he or she has to be merely grateful for the relative peace and security in the country.

“The Interior Minister suggests that Ghana is relatively safer than other countries. He was the same person who suggested that the country wasn’t safe, so we needed police protection for the MPs.”

“What informed this type of talk? In one breath, MPs need to be provided with police protection because the country is not safe and in another, the country is relatively safe. It appears as if the citizenry is lost in all these conversations” he lamented.

Recent crimes
Two bullion vans were attacked by robbers at two different places this week. One occurred at Jamestown in Accra, while the other one took place near Gomoa Dominase in the Central Region.

Two persons –a police officer and a trader—lost their lives in the robbery attack at Jamestown, while an unspecified amount of money was stolen by the robbers.

With the incident that occurred in the Central Region, the bullion van crew managed to escape the attack unhurt.

There have been other cases of robberies and killings reported in other parts of the country.

Some persons have suggested that the bullion van attacks and other daylight robberies recorded in the country in recent times show a failure on the part of the country’s security agencies.

Increasing robberies signify a breakdown in law and order; let’s blame Nana Addo – Haruna Iddrisu
The Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has blamed the increasing reports of armed robbery incidents in parts of the country on what he calls a “breakdown in law and order.”

According to him, the President has failed to ensure that Ghanaians are safe to go about their daily activities. The Minority Leader also called for major reforms in the police and security setup, adding that the sector needs to be adequately resourced.

Ghana Police
But the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr. believes the security agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service, must be commended for their selflessness in tackling the country’s security challenges despite the limited resources at their disposal.

“It is not fair to say the police are not doing anything at all. I think they are doing a lot within the constraints of limited resources. It is better to encourage them instead,” he said.

Mr. Baako however, believes that the suggestion that there’s a state of insecurity in the country following the recently reported cases of crime is “a bit of an exaggeration“.

‘They can run, but we’ll get them’ – Kofi Boakye on Jamestown bullion van attack
The Director-General in charge of Legal and Prosecution for the Ghana Police Service, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye, had promised that they will do everything possible to arrest perpetrators behind the Jamestown bullion van attack.

According to him, the arrest of the said criminals is non-negotiable for the service.