The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, has urged personnel of the Ghana Police Service not to allow the recent killings of their colleagues to demoralise them, but rather, inspire them to work hard to fulfil their constitutional mandate to the state.

He also urged the officers of the Service to celebrate and honour their fallen compatriots as heroes and heroines who have died a worthy cause for their country.

These admonishing were made by the Minister when he addressed personnel of the security services, particularly the police during his three- day working visit to the Bono and Ashanti Regions.

Mr. Dery assured personnel in case of fatality in the course of their work, government would pay their dependants their due.

The visit, which began on 2nd September,2019 was a continuation of what he began in 2017 with the objective of getting first hand information on the operations of the agencies, their challenges and how those challenges could be addressed.

The visit, which was in consonance with President Akufo-Addo’s governance style of touching base with citizenry, was also to foster a more personal interaction between himself and the officers and men on the ground.

The Minister on behalf of the President expressed appreciation to the agencies for their hard work and sacrifices in ensuring peace, safety and security which are requisites for national development in spite of the challenges they face.

He indicated that, government was not oblivious of their needs and thus assured them of government’s commitment to equipping and empowering all the agencies to discharge their duties professionally, noting that the Police Service would soon receive three helicopters as part of other equipment government was procuring to enhance their operations in addition to the 567 vehicles already delivered, the bullet proof vests and helmets and other accoutrements.

The minister, however, directed regional commanders to ensure that personnel wear their bulletproof vests, adding that any officer who flouts the directive would be sanctioned.

The minister had similar engagements with personnel of other agencies including the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ghana Prisons Service, Narcotics Control Board, Ghana Immigration Service, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana Gaming Commission and the Regional Peace Council which are also agencies under the Ministry of the Interior.

To the Ghana National Fire Service, the Minister indicated that, for the first time in the history of the service, it was going to take delivery of two hydraulics platforms to aid in fighting fires in high rise buildings and places.

In his address to personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. Dery admonished them not to compromise on their professionalism since they are the first point of contact for visitors into the country.

“You are our face when people are getting into the country and first impression counts.

You are the face of the country at the main entry points. If you perform well, good image and if you don’t, bad image” he said.

He further tasked to them to be friendly and yet vigilant in their duties.

On the issue “Cap 30”, the Minister indicated that, government was not going to take personnel of the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Immigration services from the “Cap 30” as was being rumoured.

He consequently told the officers to disabuse their minds of the rumour, explaining that the government had their welfare at heart and would not do anything to their disadvantage.


Inadequate logistics including vehicles, office accommodation for operations, under-staffing among others was a common challenge to all the agencies the minister engaged with, to which the minister assured would be addressed in due course.