Inspector-General of Police, James Oppong Boanuh has promised to support the Upper East Regional Police Command in their attempts to clamp down on the incessant highway robberies in the region.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Albert Sore, at Pusu-Namongo near Pwalugu in the Talensi district, he said that he had noticed the regional command has some plans in place following the increase in robberies.

However, it is essential to review the plans, strengthen them to ensure they can effectively help put a stop to the robberies, IGP Boanuh said.

“Well I am here in the region to look at the strategy the regional command is using to respond to the recent robberies, I am going to sit down with them and other senior officers and re-strategise, see what measures we can put in place…we will see what assistance we can give them to ensure the crimes do not occur again,” he added.

His comment comes after recent robbery attacks at Pusu-Namongo, Katiu, Sandema and parts of the Bongo District as well as Bolgatanga, have left many citizens living in fear.

Two weeks ago, the driver of a truck carrying tomatoes was murdered during a robbery attack while another carrying bags of cement was attacked and killed on the same day, on the Pwalugu Stretch of the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway.

Later, a cattle dealer was attacked and murdered by armed robbers while some market women were also robbed and some allegedly raped last week. Both incidents occurred on the Katiu-Chiana road in the Chiana-Paga district. 

Also, motorbike snatching and armed robbery have been rife in recent times at the capital Bolgatanga. 

Special Anti-robbery teams had been sent to the region to beef up police operations.  

Meanwhile, some residents called for the transfer of the Upper East Regional Police Commander if he was not up to the task. 

But the IGP said he and members of the police hierarchy were in the region to see for themselves, how the operations to clamp down on the robbers are going. 

“I can assure the general public that we are doing whatever we can and we will go to whatever lengths to ensure that the public is safe,” he added.

Also speaking to journalists during the IGP’s visit, the Director of Public Affairs at the Ghana Police Service, Supt. Sheila Buckman said police escorts are being provided for Tomato sellers who are the target of the robberies.

She urged the public to take personal safety more seriously adding that drivers should also consider travelling in groups.

“Whatever arrangement that groups already had that they had let their guard down on, let us have these arrangements with the police so that we can all be safe. For instance, in the case of Tomato sellers, police will provide escorts but it is not possible to escort one truck."

"We definitely need a number of trucks so that the police who are escorting are also covered. We cannot put one or two police officers in just one truck and leave their back uncovered.”