Ablekuma bullion van attack exposes gov’t’s lip service to police – Agalga

The minority caucus in parliament has stated that the Ablekuma bullion van shooting incident on Thursday, 22 June 2023, which resulted in the death of a young policeman, has revealed the government’s insincere commitment to the welfare of the Ghana Police Service.

A group of four robbers approached the van at a Star Oil fuel station in Ablekuma Fanmilk and opened fire on the plain-clothed police escort, fatally injuring him.

The driver managed to escape unharmed. The police have initiated a manhunt for the robbers.

Speaking to Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM’s mid-day news 12Live on Friday, 23 June 2023, Mr. James Agalga, the ranking member of the defence and interior committee of parliament, expressed his astonishment that another bullion van robbery had occurred, leading to the killing of a police officer, despite a similar incident happening in 2021 and the assurance from the Minister for the Interior that all police escorts would be provided with the necessary protective gear for such duties.

Mr. Agalga highlighted that after the Minister for the Interior had promised to equip police personnel with appropriate gear such as helmets and jackets to enhance their confidence and ensure their survival in case of an attack, a similar incident has occurred again.

He described the incident as an exposure of the government’s ongoing lip service regarding the safety of personnel.

Mr. Agalga emphasised the importance of prioritising the safety of the police force, stating that neglecting their well-being is highly undesirable and that serious measures must be taken to address this issue.

Source: ClassFMonline.com