Residents of Weija in the Greater Accra Region appear to be sitting on tenterhook as the Weija Police have tasked them to take full responsibility for their safety.

In the view of the Weija Police, the residents around the West Hills Mall in Accra, should be responsible for their security.

DSP Joseph Agyei Afokpa, the Crime Officer of New Weija District police station, said though the police will beef up security in the area, the residents must also devise innovative ways of protecting themselves.

“Don’t leave your doors open expecting that the police will come to secure it for you. You need to secure your house before going out,” he said.

Residents are being forced to relocate from the area following repeated armed robbery attacks there.

The posture of the police has sparked a debate over whether the police deserve to be resourced with the money of the tax payer they shudder to protect.

Others have also wondered if the individual could do the job the police has failed to do.

DSP Afokpa urged that residents should study their environment very well and respond to it with their security prioritized.

“If you come in late from outing or work, you need to review it and come in early to avoid being attacked,” he said.

In a response to the development, Chairman of the Residents Association of New Weija, Rev. Oweridu Antwi said they have already started the process of a neighbourhood watchdog among other measures.

He said when the Regional Police Commander gave the instruction for the police in the area to monitor the situation, “they did it for three weeks and stopped.”

“Last Sunday we met and selected about 15 people whom we want to be taken through training and deploy them as community watchdog in the afternoon and at night.

“We have to own our security to that extent because there have been instances of robbery in the night that we call the police and no one picks the call,” he said.

He said in the long term they will have their own police station.