Traders and Small Scale miners have reported to Upperwestmedia Team a tragic event they have experienced on their way from Dorimon in the Wa West District of Upper West.
The robbery incident which took place on 1st August 2019 led to loss of property and scare on that section of the road compelling road users to call the security agencies to intervene.
According to a victim, the robbers stopped a mini bus and some number of motorbikes asking pedestrians to lay bare on the floor for a search to be carried out on them, mobile phones, gold, monies and other valuable items were taken and after which the robbers commanded them to leave the scene, the victim explained.
They called for police patrols on the road to avert such occurances.
This is the first robbery incident recorded after samples of gold was discovered in the Dorimon community.
Mass transfer of Police officers have been on the upsurge lately in the region.
A case of decreasing police personnel in the Upper West Region has residents worried about their safety.
The region currently has 1,067 police personnel to ensure the security of about one million residents, a situation many residents fear poses a risk to their safety.
The situation has been worsened by the disbandment of some police unit. The Upper West Regional Police Command disbanded the units because, instead of facilitating policing of the communities, the dwindling numbers of personnel means the units strain police work.
The situation has forced police personnel to now perform dual roles, leaving gaps in their operations leading to the increasing crime rate in the region.
For instance, members of the Police Visibility Unit can sometimes be seen seated at junctions dotted every 500 meters apart in the Wa municipality.
urthermore, tents erected three years ago to shelter members of the various units on duty have deteriorated.
Due to lack of personnel and usage, most of the tents have collapsed and torn into pieces. They are now serving as shelters for animals.
Residents are not happy about the situation.
A member of the Wa Municipal Assembly’s Security and Justice Committee, Iddrisu Muslim, laid the blame on the doorstep of the Inspector-General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu.
“If IGP and his subordinates can transfer personnel out of the Upper West region, why can’t they replace them with the same number, “ he demanded.
“The IGP’s failure to do the needed replacement is undermining the people of the Upper West Region and should not be allowed to continue,” Iddrisu Muslim added.
He expressed surprise about the behaviour of the IGP whom he said once served as the District Police Commander at the then Sissala District.
”I expected the IGP to see the Upper West Region especially the two Sissala districts where he once worked to take them like his baby by paying the needed attention to their security issues. It is surprising since he took over as IGP for over two years, he never stepped foot in the region let alone the twin Sissala districts,” he added.
He wants the IGP to scrutinise and sanction personnel who blatantly refused to be posted to the Upper West Region.
He said if the situation persists residents will be forced on the streets to protest.
By: Upperwestmedia.net
Asante Apeatu is now former IGP.