The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nana Owusu-Nsiah, has commended the chiefs and people of Techiman Traditional Area in Brong-Ahafo for constructing barracks for the Police Service to serve Techiman and its environs.

He was speaking at a fund-raising and sod-cutting ceremony for commencement of work on the construction of a police station and barracks estimated at three billion cedis at Techiman.

The IGP expressed the hope that the lofty idea initiated by Nananom and the people would bear fruitful results and called on residents and non-residents of the area to contribute towards the project.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah, who is also Maawerehene of Berekum Traditional Area in Brong Ahafo appealed to people in the other regions to emulate the people of Techiman and support the Service to acquire the needed logistics for its operations.

He noted that the provision of the barracks and other amenities was the responsibility of the government, "but since the government cannot bear this responsibility alone it is expedient for other stakeholders to assist in this direction".

Nana Owusu-Nsiah explained that the construction of police stations and barracks at any place was based on prevailing crime wave, economic activities, population and the geographical position of the area.

Techiman has quite a large population with a big market, which makes economic activity in the area comparable to some regional capitals, he said.

"With such great economic activity, there is the tendency for crimes to rise, as the town's population swells during market days", the IGP said.

He said the present police population in the country was "below expectation", but added that the government was studying ways to increase the strength of police personnel at certain police stations.Nana Owusu-Nsiah referred to statistics of Police personnel in countries like United States and Britain in terms of population and maintenance of law and order.

He said whilst one policeman is to 450 persons in those countries, in Ghana a police officer is expected to control 1,445 persons.

The IGP, however, gave the assurance that with time things would improve to the extent of reversing the figure to a ratio of one policeman to 750 people in view of the recruitment of new personnel.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah said this year, the Service recruited about 2000 new personnel, adding, "all being well the same number will be recruited as and when necessary.

On armed robbery, the IGP said the situation was worse at the time the government took office, but with the provision of the needed logistics, backed by effective work of the Police, the rate at which armed robbers were operating in the country had reduced considerably.

As at now, 60 armed robbers arrested at some parts of Accra on different occasions would soon be put before court and appealed to the general public to volunteer information or give tip-offs to the Police to arrest the bad nuts, he said.

The IGP said civilian population is now conversant with the provisions of the constitution, and cautioned the Police to try as much as possible to operate within the ambit of the constitution.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah cautioned the youth in Techiman and its environs to stay away from the use of narcotic drugs, which he said often led to juvenile delinquency and criminal conduct.

"As we are helping to build a place for the Police to stay and check crime in this area, we should refrain from hard drugs so that the Police will not have the unpleasant duty of arresting people for drug offences", he said.

Osabarima Dotobibi Takyia Ameyaw II, Omanhene of Techiman Traditional Area, announced that due to lack of accommodation to house police personnel, only 46 out of the required number of 116 police officers were at post in the area.

He said it is imperative for every citizen to assist in solving some security problems in the country.

The Omanhene said the construction of the barracks had been designed to go through a five-year-period with a levy of 20,000 cedis on each household in the traditional area.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr George Oppong Asante, Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, announced that 2,690 crime cases were recorded in the region last year, out of which 100 of them were on armed robbery.

The region also recorded a total of 88 accidents with 46 of them causing 100 deaths.

ACP Asante noted that due to the inadequate number of police personnel in Techiman, each policeman was compelled to work 18 hours a day instead of the normal eight hours.

He expressed satisfaction with the initiative of the chiefs and people to provide the station and barracks as it cost the Service two million cedis a month to house police personnel in private premises.

An appeal for funds yielded 160 million cedis, with the Techiman District Assembly providing 100 million cedis.