President John Mahama has announced a GHS 1 billion government intervention to upgrade Ghana’s security services, following concerns raised at a recent National Security Council meeting about the limited operational capacity of key agencies, particularly the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
Speaking during an engagement with security personnel on Friday, June 20, the President said the budget would be used to retool and modernise the country’s security institutions.
I have managed to squeeze the hand of the Minister of Finance to his back, and we will get a budget of a billion cedis for retooling of your various services, he said.
President Mahama described the situation in the Ghana Fire Service as critical, citing a lack of modern equipment and outdated tools, some of which were acquired over a decade ago. He called on the public to understand that delays by the Fire Service in responding to emergencies are often due to equipment shortages and not negligence.
The Fire Service needs equipment urgently. I empathise with them when they get insulted by people when they do not get to fire incidents early. The issue is that they do not have the equipment. Some of the equipment was bought 10 years ago. There has not been a retooling, he explained, he said.
The police have to confront armed robbers every day, and you do not expect them to do it in light-skinned vehicles, he added, referring to the need for more better-equipped vehicles.
Meanwhile, Modern Ghana reported that in a show of solidarity, all 11 agencies under the Ministry of the Interior have contributed a total of GHS1 million to the Mahama Cares Fund, also known as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, to support people suffering from chronic illnesses.
The contributing agencies include the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana National Fire Service, Narcotics Control Commission, National Identification Authority, Gaming Commission, National Peace Council, Refugee Board, and the Small Arms Commission.
