RESIDENTS URGED TO SUPPORT POLICE MAINTAIN SECURITY (Page 54)

Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi

The Ashanti Regional Crime Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bright Oduro, has given the assurance that the police are poised to offer adequate protection to players and team officials of all the four teams vying for honours in the preliminary stages of the Ghana 2008 tournament in Kumasi.
He said they had also instituted adequate measures to ensure that criminals did not take advantage of the tournament in Kumasi to harass residents.
“We have withdrawn 400 men from other parts of the region to beef up security in Kumasi to conduct spot checks in all parts of the metropolis. Our men will also be positioned at vantage points where criminals are likely to operate to ensure that residents and the visitors receive maximum security during the tournament to enable soccer fans to enjoy every aspect of the soccer,” he said.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview on how the police were addressing the challenges they would face as far as the Ghana 2008 tournament was concerned — especially taking into consideration the fact that Kumasi was noted as one of the black spots of criminal activities in the country — Mr Oduro said the police were aware of the challenges facing them and would be equal to the task.
He said since all the four teams that would base in Kumasi — Egypt, Cameroun, Zambia and Sudan — were not West African countries, they might not enjoy maximum support from Kumasi and this was where soccer fans would struggle to fill the stadium in their numbers.
ACP Bright Oduro said the police had mapped out a strategy to provide a 24-hour security at the hotels of all the participating teams to ensure that the players got the peace to concentrate on their game plan.
He said the police had also identified all the entertaining spots where supporters were likely to have fun and would put men on standby to ensure that criminals did not cause any problems.
“Besides, we have also pencilled out some criminals who are on our wanted lists and are picking them one by one to prevent them from creating security problems for us,” he noted, adding that “we would also ensure that commercial sex workers do not indulge in any criminal activities and we would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone with criminal intentions.
ACP Bright Oduro urged residents to be very vigilant and report any suspicious characters as part of their civic responsibilities.
He said it was only when residents were vigilant and supported the police in their battle against criminals that the crime wave in the metropolis would be curtailed for sustainable peace and tranquillity to prevail.
“We need the support and co-operation of the public to enhance effective and efficient policing because security is a shared responsibility.”