By Gifty Amofa, GNA
Accra, Dec. 22, GNA – Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police (IGP) has warned persons who terrorise traders in the markets that the Police will come after them.
They should find a better means of livelihood rather than to capitalize on the hard-won monies of the traders.
“Police will come after you, you will hear from us and the law will take its course when arrested,” he said.
This was during one of the police-public engagements of the IGP with the members of the Secondhand Traders Association at Kantamanto, held at the market, ahead of the Christmas festivity.
The IGP was addressing the security concerns of the traders who complained that their customers were being harassed by pick pockets, swindlers or even robbers when transacting business in the market.
The traders, who had earlier paid a courtesy call on the IGP, said such harassment and stealing happened on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, when new goods arrive for sale.
Dr Dampare, accompanied by the Police Management Board, vowed that the Police would deploy personnel to fish out the miscreants to ensure that traders enjoyed a safe environment to go about their duties without fear or intimidation.
He said since security was a shared responsibility, they should sometimes take personal security seriously by using electronic means of transacting business instead of carrying huge monies on them.
Responding to an alleged threat of arson on the market, he promised to help prevent it, adding that Police would also liaise with the Fire Service to ensure that the right thing was done at the shops to avert market fires, specifically during the Harmattan Season.
They should also put off all their electronic gadgets before leaving their shops as well as put out fires used for cooking.
The IGP pledged the continuous support of the Police in security delivery.
The traders complained that some of their colleagues’ (coconut sellers, truck pushers) activities caused obstruction to traffic flow, especially at the weekends and must be checked.
This, they said, sometimes impeded the entry of fire tenders into the market when there was a fire outbreak.
Mr Charles Asmah, Vice Chair of the Association, who made the appeal, also called for three more police posts to augment the Railway Police Station in crime prevention and combat in the area.
He explained that many people patronized the Market on weekly basis, thus, customers’ safety must be enhanced and commended the Police for their efforts over the past.
Police should also intensify security during the market days and rush hours, when they were going home as well as raid places such as “Sodom” and Agbogbloshie that were becoming a safe haven for criminals, Mr Asmah pleaded.
GNA