Curb Highway Robberies And Stop Extorting Money From Drivers – Minister Tells Police

The Minister of Communications and NDC Member Parliament for Tamale South is urging the Ghana Police Service to be proactive in fighting crime and cease the practice of extorting money from drivers.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu says it is lamentable that some personnel of the Ghana Police Service are only interested in the pittance they take from drivers by means of extortion, instead of dealing with the many social vices in the country.

“Instead of [the police] concentrating on these patrols, sometimes they are more interested in pittance that they take from these vehicles by way of extortion…and not deal with the issue to which they have a duty and a standard of care to the Ghanaian people, so I think that the IGP must sit up,” the minister stated.

His comments comes on the heels of reports that barely a fortnight ago, a group of armed robbers forced some male passengers aboard a Tamale-bound bus from Accra to have sex with female passengers after robbing them of virtually everything.

The horrifying experience occurred on Monday, October 11, 2010 between the hours of 1am and 2 am at a spot near Kintampo. The armed robbers also forced a man to break her own daughter’s virginity as they poked guns at his head to have sex with the about 14-year-old girl or pay with his life.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme, the Communications Minister, who called on the police to be up and doing by increasing their highway patrol team, also added that the recent recurring tragedies in the country is a challenge on government to re-equip the police service in their fight against crime.

“STC used to put two to three armed police officials in buses travelling especially in the nights and I think it should be extended to private buses to help protect passengers in case of such incidents,” he advised.

The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide, Malik Kwaku Baako, a co-panelist on the show, expressed shock at the incident and commiserated with the victims.

“It is a tragic, scandalizing, terrific and I am speechless… this will have a psychological effect on the victims,” he lamented.

Source: Beatrice Adepa Frempong/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana