Residents of some communities in Kumasi are crying over what they describe as increasing crime rate in their neighborhoods.
They attribute the rising trend to the closure of Police Posts in those communities established by former Ashanti Regional Police Commander COP Kofi Boakye.
Some of the distressed residents live in communities including Ahodwo, Nhyiaeso and Atasomanso.
They tell rawgist.com the crime especially robberies decreased drastically when the former Police commander set up
the police posts. They say the constant Police presence at the time seem to have helped improve the security of the areas drastically.
Kwame Atuah Patrick who is particularly concerned about the closure of the Police Posts and consequently originated this investigation tells rawgist.com all the police posts, made up of small containers were closed down without explanation not long after a new Commander took over the reigns of the Police service in the Region.
He believes a lot of thought went into the setting up of the Posts which he says always housed two to three Police personnel at a time.
He tells rawgist.com crime rate dropped from 8.88% to 3.76%, especially in the first class residential areas soon after
the Police Posts were set up.
“Recently in my area a week will not pass without an attack from armed robbers within the vicinity; a situation that was dealt with by these Kofi Boakye police posts”, he recounted in a nostalgic mood.
More facts about Police Posts
Further checks on these Police post reveal most of these posts have not been opened in over nine (9) months.
Here is the break down of the various Posts, their locations and dates of closure:
Atasomanso Police post 7, location, Paraku Estate junction near Atasomanso cemetery.
Last opened 14/12/206 till date it’s been close down.
Atasomanso police post 8, location Nsoum junction.
Last opened 12/12/2016 till date it’s been shut down.
Ahwiaa Nkwanta police post 1, location Sokoban Newsite junction. Last opened 16/01/2017 till date it’s been shut down.
Tinpom Police post 1, location Sokoban old township. last opened 21/12/2016 till date it’s been closed.
Atasomanso police post 2, location Paraku Estate Nana Adusei Opoku street. Last opened 18/12/2016 till date among others.
Our search reveals only two(2) out of the fifty-six (56) Police post visited; Ahodwo Roundabout Police Post located near the BNI office and Dakodwom Police Post have been working .
Mr. Kwame Atuah Patrick wants something to be done about the rising crime rate. He says the laudable legacy of COP Kofi Boakye should not be allowed to waste.
