Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Public Safety Nana Yaw Akwada has noted that although the state is mounting closed-circuits television (CCTV) all around the country especially in the major cities, there is the need to increase police visibility as well.

He explained that police visibility is an important measure in preventing crimes from happening in the first place.

Mr Akwada told Johnnie Hughes on Community Connect on 3FM Friday, October 16 that criminals are most likely not to be able to embark on their nefarious action if they realise that the police are all over the place.

This, therefore, makes a case for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to deploy more men in uniform into the communities to protect the citizens, he said.

Nana Yaw Akwada was speaking in relation to the recent cases of murder in the country and a revelation made by the Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Jones Borteye Applerh, that more civilians are applying to own their personal guns.

Mr Applerh described the demand for guns by Ghanaians as a worrying situation.

“This year we have seen an increasing number of people wanting to own guns in Greater Accra. We are worried but it is also a function what we see in our society. People don’t feel too safe.

“The license to possess a fire arm, if they give you the license you are supposed to process it, that expires after 6 months but the license to own a firearm when you have imported a firearm is one year,” he told Johnnie Hughes in an earlier interview on Thursday, October 15.

Nana Yaw Akwada admitted also that he sees cameras springing up at some vantage points in town.

“In Tema, I saw about two camera stations which are springing up, this is a very good initiative.

“But where are the street lights? Where is the Police visibility programme? They are not there. The cameras do not arrest people, the cameras cannot resurrect people. They will only lead us or give us clues as to who did what. But ultimately our aim is to prevent the crime from happening in the first place.

“So where are the Police on the ground? Those are some of the things that inform citizens to want to own their own guns.”