General News of Thursday, 17 January 2019

Source: yen.com.gh

First ever female Ghanaian police officer, Rosemond Nkansah, celebrates 89th birthday

Rosemond Nkansah, the 89-year-old is the first ever Ghanaian female police officer in Ghana Rosemond Nkansah, the 89-year-old is the first ever Ghanaian female police officer in Ghana

YEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of an aged woman, Rosemond Nkansah, reported to be the first female police officer Ghana ever had.

In a Facebook post, Rosemond is seen being aided by a young woman while she posed for the camera with a walking stick.

She was said to be at a birthday party organised by her family and friends on January 13, 2019, to celebrate her 89th year.

Even though she is old now, it could be seen from her pose that she was good at her job when she served in the police service many years ago. Meanwhile, professional policing was introduced by the British Colonial Authorities to the Gold Coast now the Republic of Ghana in 1821.

Before then, policing or maintenance of law and order was handled by the traditional authorities such as the local herdsmen and chiefs, who employed unpaid messengers to carry out the executive and judicial functions in their respective communities.

In 1894, the Institution of Police was formalized with the passing of the Police Ordinance which gave legal authority for the formation of a civil police force.

Then in 1902 the force was split into General, Escort, Mines and Railway Police, which was legalized by the Police [Amendment] Ordinance of 1904.

The Marine Police was formed in 1916 but disbanded in 1942 and replaced by Customs Excise and Preventive Service.

The Criminal Investigation Department [CID] was formed in 1921 with the finger print section fully operational in 1922. In 1948, the Police Reserves Unit was formed to combat riotous mobs, following the 1948 riots in the country.

The wireless and Communications Unit was formed in 1950 with the formal opening of the Police Information Room in Accra by the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Charles Noble Arden Clarke, in June 1950. By 1952, a large number of Africans were enlisted into the Police Force as junior officers.

The women branch of the service was then established, to be responsible for Juvenile crimes and offences committed by women.

In 1958, the first Ghanaian Police Commissioner, Mr. E. R. T. Madjitey was appointed to head the service.

In other news, the police are currently investigating the case involving the gruesome murder of the public affairs manager of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

Josephine Asante was murdered in her bedroom on January 13, 2019, after she had returned home from a party. The police, during investigation, found sperms in her pelvic region.

The EMEF estate owners have dispelled reports that the assailants trailed her to the house.

According to them, the security condition at the estate was on high and so there was no way a person would have entered or exited the estate without being noticed or accosted.