Accra, March 22, GNA - Mr Martin Amidu, Minister of the Interior said on Monday that government has approved 38 accommodation projects nationwide for completion this year for the Ghana Police Service. The projects are expected to provide the service with 100 additional offices for operational and administrative activities, whilst the residential housing stock would be increased by 1,700 housing units. Mr Amidu made this known, when he answered a question tabled by Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, who wanted to know what measures have been put in place to ensure improvement in the service conditions of the Police with regards to accommodation and remuneration.

He said it was common knowledge that the accommodation situation of personnel of the service was not one of the best and "we as a government and people have to do all we can to improve upon the situation". On remuneration, Mr Amidu said government in 2009 increased the salary level of the service by 17 per cent, saying, although last year salary increment brought considerable relief to the personnel, it cannot be said to be adequate, considering the nature of work that they do. He noted that the police administration was taking some initiatives to improve the conditions of service which include; finalising new police service regulations, which had new conditions of service as one of its main tenets.

The Minister said a document to this effect would be submitted to government through the police council by May 2010. In addition to this, the police service has engaged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in discussions aimed at ensuring that personnel of the service were placed at appropriate salary levels to commensurate with their operational demands, responsibilities and risks under the Single Spine Salary Structure.

Mr Amidu said the police administration was working on a memorandum for attention of the police council and subsequently Cabinet. It is believed that when this was done, the police would be given the requisite attention, which would lead to better resources and conditions of service.