The acquittal of perceived drug barons and the non-confiscation of properties of drug dealers are two issues currently undermining the fight against drugs, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, has observed. He said the government had, therefore, prevailed on the Attorney-General’s Department to file appeals in such cases and also ensure that prosecutors were up to their tasks. “Orientation courses will also be undertaken to make judges keep abreast of current illicit drug trends so that they can make informed decisions while upholding the due process of law,” he added. Taking his turn at the Meet-the-press series in Accra yesterday, Mr Avoka announced further measures to deal with the drug menace in the country, which include joint raids on drug peddling spots by drug enforcement agencies and the installation of state-of the art drug detection equipment at all the country’s borders. A sniffer dogs operations team using locally bred dogs is also to be established to ensure improved detection of concealed drugs in bulky cargo. Mr Avoka said the decentralisation of the operations of the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) was on course, adding that offices would soon be opened in Aflao, Koforidua, Elubo and Paga. Providing statistics to back his claim, he said the drug menace had reduced significantly in the past few years and added that the measures being instituted were meant to bring the cases to the barest minimum. Turning the spotlight on the recent successes chalked up by the police in dealing with armed robbery, the killing of armed robbers in shoot-outs and comments by some human rights and security experts on the matter, Mr Avoka said the objective of the police was not to shoot and kill. “The objective is to arrest them because when we arrest them we are able to get their accomplices and collaborators. But unfortunately the robbers do not tolerate the police. On seeing policemen, they shoot to kill. They kill the police so the police have to protect their lives. All those who demand human rights should know that nature’s first law is self-preservation,” he said. “These armed robbers kill, they maim, and they loot and they rape. We have not killed innocent people, I can assure the nation. We will express our regret if it becomes clear that innocent people are involved,” he added. Laying bare some further measures to fight crime, Mr Avoka said the police would be provided with motorbikes in the course of the year to enable them to reach out to unmotorable and inaccessible areas, as well as manoeuvre their way through traffic jams. In the same vein, he added, all users of motorbikes were to be subjected to checks after 6.00 p.m. as using motorcycles had become the new modus operandi in snatching mobile phones and ladies’ handbags. He appealed to the public to co-operate with the security personnel in that respect. He said crime statistics revealed that crime had reduced from January to May, this year, compared to the same period for the last four years, and added that the country was not overwhelmed by armed robbery and other violent crimes as some would have the public believe. He said the police administration had established “tent cities” in crime-prone areas which did not have police presence to bring security to the doorstep of the public while the military and the police had begun joint training exercises to ensure better performance and co-ordination. Intelligence-led swoops, he added, would continue to “smoke out” criminals from their hideouts. With regard to the re-eruption of the chieftaincy conflict in the Anlo area, Mr Avoka said the situation had returned to normalcy and the security agencies had been directed to investigate the latest clashes, as well as monitor and maintain law and order at all times. On logistical needs of departments and agencies under the ministry, the minister said loans totalling $55 million had been secured from the Export Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States and India to provide equipment for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). He said before the end of the year, 77 fire engines and 10 foam tenders from India would arrive in the country to augment the fleet in the country. With regard to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Mr Avoka said six four-storey buildings comprising 24 units chamber and hall, six three-storey buildings comprising six flats and six three-bedroom bungalows were being constructed to ease the residential accommodation problems of the service. On the issue of the construction of a remand prison, Mr Avoka said moves were being made to construct one near the Borstal Institute in Accra to ease the problems prison officers faced transporting remand prisoners from Nsawam to Accra daily. Story by Mark-Anthony Vinorkor/Daily Graphic