The Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, (WANEP) is calling for assertive action by the police to prevent criminal activity, especially targeted killings in the country.

Emmanuel Bombande warned if such an action is not taken "it can embolden criminals to believe they can engage in such criminal acts and not be apprehended."

He was shedding light on the quarterly report by WANEP which warned of increased cases of targeted killing in the country.

The quarterly report indicated the country recorded 27 cases of gun violence in the first three months of this year, some of which were homicides.

The report added that overall, 17 incidents of Homicide-related cases were recorded, with two suspects arrested.

The report further stated that increased cases of contract killing may also raise the anxiety of politicians, professionals, social and community leaders, especially as the country approaches the 2016 election.

Speaking to Joy News' Jefferson Sackey the Executive Director of WANEP, Emmanuel Bombande, called for stringent measures to be taken by the police to fight the menace.

He applauded the recent action by the police to arrest unregistered motorbikes and unlicensed motor riders.

He said with the current state of economic insecurity and social imbalances, criminal activities are bound to increase.

Mr Bombande also encouraged the police administration to hold regular press conferences to update the general public on the state of investigation on high profile criminal cases in the country.

He said regular briefings by the police tend to assuage the apprehension of the public and assure them that the police are doing something even if the suspects have yet to be arrested.

"When there is silence on such cases, it is not good enough," he noted, adding, "there is psychological dimension to [these] kinds of activities" and the police must be ready to fight and win the psychological battle.

Security expert Dr Emmanuel Kwesi Aning of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training School described the WANEP report as a "realistic report" that focuses attention on the responses of people to the economic environment they are in.

He also agreed with Bombande on the need for the police to regularly update the public saying "it is a confidence building measure both to the police and the general public."