Accra Police Chief in Tears: We Have Nowhere to Live
The Assistant Superintendent of Police in charge of the Adaklu District Police Command, Esther Buakuma, has made a heartfelt appeal to the authorities for residential accommodation for Police personnel in the district.
Ms Buakuma's plea comes as a result of the dire living conditions faced by Police officers in Adaklu, where they have to commute from Ho to work due to the lack of accommodation.
Struggling to Serve
Police personnel in Adaklu have been forced to travel from Ho, a town over 100 kilometers away, to report for duty, said Ms Buakuma. This is having a toll on effective and efficient Policing in the district, she added.
The situation is also a drain on their meagre resources, with the risk involved being high, Ms Buakuma noted. Personnel are refusing postings to the district, and those who accept are often leaving soon after, she said.
Overworked and Understaffed
Because of the lack of personnel, those who remain in the district are working between 12 and 15 hours a day, said Ms Buakuma. This is unsustainable and is affecting the quality of service provided to the community, she added.
Ms Buakuma appealed to the Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, and the District Assembly to help solve the accommodation challenges faced by Police personnel in the district. She also appealed for more personnel to be posted to the district to increase Police visibility.
A Plea for Help
Ms Buakuma made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Adaklu Waya. The situation in Adaklu is a reflection of a broader issue affecting the Police service in Ghana, where personnel are often forced to commute long distances to work due to lack of accommodation.
The Ghana Police Service has a long-standing problem of inadequate housing for its personnel, which has led to a shortage of Police officers in many districts. This has compromised the ability of the Police to effectively serve and protect the community.
What's Next
The appeal by Ms Buakuma highlights the urgent need for the authorities to address the accommodation challenges faced by Police personnel in Adaklu. The situation in Adaklu is a wake-up call for the authorities to take immediate action to address the housing needs of Police personnel across the country.
Source: Joy Online
