President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday joined the Ghana Police Service at a Flag-Raising and Wreath-Laying ceremony to honour the memory of police personnel who have fallen in the line of duty within the year.

The solemn ceremony, held at the Police Cenotaph Grounds at the National Police Training School at Tesano in Accra, climaxed a week-long of activities by the Services’ Administration aimed at enhancing effective co-existence between the Police and the citizenry to promote safer communities.

Throughout the week, police personnel across the country engaged the public with education on crime prevention, road safety and child safety tips among other things to build stronger relations between the police and the public.

The Police Memorial Day is a day set aside to recognise the services and sacrifices of serving police officers who died while performing lawful duties within Ghana, on peace keeping mission or on international assignments.

This year's event honoured the memory of 13 police officers, five of whom had their names engraved on the Wall of Honour at the Cenotaph, and the names of the remaining eight also inscribed on the Roll of Honour.

They included Assistant Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Kwaku Ashilevi who was shot and killed on January 21, 2018 by armed men who attacked the Kwabenya Police Station to free some inmates.

The others were Chief Inspector Adolph Mutse who was ambushed and attacked by unknown armed men at Kwamang Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region, Corporal Nicholas Duku who was attacked and killed by robbers on April 29, 2018 whilst on duty at TJ Gold Resources Company at Bogoso in the Western Region.

The rest were Corporal Daniel Adu Tieku who was shot and killed by armed robbers on July 12, 2018 while on operational duties at Manzo Kumpese, and Corporal Prosper Ashinyo who was ambushed and killed by unknown persons at Kwamang Nkwanta near Drobinso in the Ashanti Region on January 11, 2018.

The other eight who also fell in the line of duty included Sergeants Yakubu Seidu, Emmanuel Aduko and Owusu Appiah, Corporals Salifu Alhassan, Thomas Kwame Adu, Lance Corporals Animon Kwaku Dando and Abdulai Sumaila, and Constable Emmanuel Lamptey.

President Amuck-Addo, after lighting the perpetual flame, laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and people of Ghana.

The Inspector-General of Police, David Asante Apeatu, laid the wreath for the Police Service, while Ursula Ashilevi laid one for the bereaved families, and Nii Ayikai, Akumajen Manstse, laid one for the Chieftaincy Institution.

A minute’s silence was observed for the departed, and the last post was trumpeted by a bugler, as the flag was raised to remember the fallen.