The Ghana Police Service has justified its decision to resume the training of recruits amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the service, the action does not violate the Executive Instrument on the imposition of restrictions.
There have been concerns over the resumption of training by some security agencies despite the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
Many have said that such exercises are recipes for an outbreak of the virus at the training centres but the Police Service is giving assurances that nothing of the sort will occur.
A statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Sheilla Abayie Buckman, said the service has put in adequate measures to ensure that the recruits are safe.
Read the statement below:
1. The Police Administration has cited fake advertisements of ongoing enlistment or recruitment into the Ghana Police Service and wishes to state that the Police Service is not advertising recruitment nor undertaking fresh recruitment processes.
2. Police recruitment exercises are first published in the major dailies, at least the “Daily Graphic” and “Ghanaian Times” newspapers prior to the start of the recruitment processes.
3. Presently, Police Recruits who started training in February this year, at the various Police training schools at Accra; Koforidua; Ho; Kumasi and Pwalugu are in training undergoing the scheduled training exercises.
4. Contrary to speculations by some persons that Police is in breach of the law, the ongoing training of Police Recruits is in accordance with law. Regulation 4 of the extended Imposition of Restrictions (Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic) Instrument, 2020 [EI 64] exempts “Security Services” including the Ghana Police Service from restrictions under the regulations.
5. The Police Administration has however put in place sufficient measures to ensure social distancing maintained between and among recruits. These are in addition to enhanced hygiene procedures directed by the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, Adequate measures have also been put in place to sufficiently manage any issues of COVID-19 that may arise at any of the Police training facilities.
6. To verify if the Police Service is recruiting or not, one can call the Police Toll Free number 18555 or the National Unified Code 112. In addition, the public is encouraged to report any person(s) who make false claim of recruitment to the nearest Police Station for arrest and prosecution.
7. The Police Administration further assures parents, guardians and the general public that the health and safety of Police Recruits and Police Officers amid COVID-19 remain paramount.
