Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamadu Bawumia yesterday laid wreath and lighted a perpetual flame in honour of11 police officers who died in line of duty this year.
The Police Memorial Day instituted in 2014, is set aside every year at the National Police Cenotaph at Tesano, in Accra, to give special recognition to fallen serving police officers in line of duty. The day is also used to engrave the names of gallant officers on permanent monument in line with international best practices.
The deceased officers were Chief Inspector Abednego Kofi Kechire, Chief Inspector James Issaka Aroma, Constable Iddrisu Gafaru, Sergeant Moses TettehNartey, Corporal Charles AdjeiOsekre and Lance Corporal Martin Baba.
The rest were Constable Kwarteng Abebrese Nantwi Collins, Lance Corporal Emmanuel Osei, Constable Francis Odoi, Constable Amos Maatey Niganoko, and Constable Ernest Newton Dwamena.
A total of seven out of the 11 deceased policemen lost their lives through road traffic accidents, three through robberies withConstable Collins succumbing to congestive heart failure, hypertensive heart disease on December 7, 2020, whiles on election patrol duty at Ahafo Region.
ChiefKechire who was escorting the advance team of the Speaker of Parliament to Wa was killed in a road crash at Juaso in the Ashanti Region
Chief Inspector Aroma,Constable Gafaru and Corporal Osekre together with other policemen were responding to robbery incident when they were involved in a fatal accident on the Walewale-Bolgatanga road.
Constable Odoi, whiles on duty at a Police checkpoint on the Techiman-Kumasi highway sought permission to buy food in town using his motorcycle but was knocked down by a private car and an oncoming tanker run over his head killing him instantly,
Constable Dwamena whiles on Anti-armed robbery operational duty was involved in a motor accident which led to his death, Whiles Constable Niganoko was knocked down by a salon car driven by Farouk Adams,a footballer of Aduana Sporting Club whiles on his way to his duty post.
Lance Corporal Emmanuel Osei whiles escorting a bullion van at James Town in Greater Accra Region was attacked, shot and killed by armed robbers.
Lance Corporal Baba, whiles escorting a bullion van, on reaching the outskirt to Adansi-Nyankomasu township on Obuasi-Asokwa Junction in the Central Region was shot and killed by a group of armed men.
Sergeant Nartey, was shot and killed by armed robbers while responding to a distress call at Pramkese in the Eastern Region.
Present at the solemn programme, were the Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare, members of the Police Management Board, former IGPs, senior police officers, members of the Police Wives Association,clergy and traditional rulers, families and friends of the fallen police officers.
The Director of Religious Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Very Rev George Arthur in a sermon said the death of a policeman is a great loss not only to the immediate family but to the nation at large.
He said among the things worth dying for are one’s country, faith and family, those we are remembering today, died whiles championing the course of protecting life and property.
‘’To the bereaved families, these policemen we are mourning today, your departed relatives, did not die as criminals buts as gallant officers who perished whiles performing their official duties to the nation,’’he added.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYIAND YAW KYEI
