UPPER EAST APPEAL FOR VEHICLES (PAGE 42, DEC 1, 2010)

THE Upper East Regional Police Command has made a passionate appeal to the government for vehicles to enhance highway patrol duties in the region.
The Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Thomas Agbanyo, who made the appeal, said inadequate logistics, including vehicles were a major set-back to the police in fighting crime.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Bolgatanga in the wake of the recent highway robbery on the Bolgatanga-Bawku highway, Chief Inspector Agbanyo revealed that the only highway patrol vehicle, a Bolero with registration number GP 2266 had broken down and that was hampering patrol duties by the personnel.
He said the public expected the police to be on the highways regularly to ward off the threats of robbers and ensure their safety, but due to logistical challenges, that was impossible.
Chief Inspector Agbanyo, therefore appealed to the government and the Police Administration to resource the command to facilitate the smooth operations of the police.
He said the command did not also have adequate police personnel as most of the personnel transferred to the region failed to report.
The Regional Police PRO urged the authorities to take steps to ensure that all police personnel posted to the region accepted the posting.
It would be recalled that at about 5 p.m. on November 14, 2010, armed robbers attacked travellers on the Bolgatanga–Bawku Highway, specifically between Nangodi and the Tilli forest.
The armed robbers robbed many passengers of their money and other valuables, including mobile phones after which they fled the scene before the police could arrive.