Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Appeatu, has been summoned to Parliament Tuesday, over the recent killings of police officers in the line of duty.
The police chief is expected to brief the Defence and Interior Committee about measures the Police Administration is putting in place to protect its men and women from violent armed groups.
The summon was instigated by the Sunday dawn cell break at the Kwabenya District Police Headquarters in Accra, which led to the death of one officer.
At least seven inmates, arrested for various crimes, escaped during the jailbreak.
Ashaiman Member of Parliament, Ernest Henry Norgbey, said the Committee wants an assurance from the IGP about the safety of Ghanaians.
“If the security men need protection [then we need an] assurance that Ghana is safe and peaceful,” the lawmaker Joseph Gakpo stated.
He said he will be particularly interested to find out whether police officers are all provided with protective gears and arms to when they are on duty.
The Kwabenya attack has sparked a debate about whether the police are adequately equipped to protect Ghanaians.
Security analyst, Dr Kwesi Aning, has warned there will be more of such attacks if the country’s security strategy is not reformed.
Ghana’s security policy is vulnerable in the face of the changing security situation.
Within the last five years, there have been seven jailbreaks, with at least 15 hardened criminals escaping. But some were re-arrested, police officials have said.
The breakdown is below:
2013
Murder suspect, Anyagre Atinga-Dombire known as Labista escaped from his prison cell at Bongo in the Upper East Region where he was being held on remand in September.
2015
Two remand prisoners at the Tepa District Police in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region escaped lawful custody.
Also, two suspects in the custody of the Asiwa Police at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region escaped.
2016
Two notorious criminals who were on remand at the Tumu Police cell in the Sissala East District in the Upper West Region escaped in June.
2017
Five suspected dangerous criminals escaped from police custody at the Ofankor Police station in Accra in August last year.
