The Volta Regional Police Command is upbeat about the reduction of crime rates in the region as indicated by crime statistics they have released this week.

According to the Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP),  Ebenezer Francis Doku, the figures are a testimony to the fact that the police have not been sleeping on the job.

"I dare say that the Volta Regional Police has not been sleeping on the job at all and this is succinctly proven by the crime statistics of the year 2017 as against 2018," said DCOP Doku.

DCOP Doku was addressing journalists at an end of year soiree organised by the Police at the Volta Regional Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service in Ho.

According to the figures released by police, murder cases droped by 31.3% from 48 cases in 2017 to 33 cases in 2018.

However, figures recorded for attempted murder are in sharp contrast with those of murder. Twelve cases were recorded in 2017, which increased to 21 in 2018, an increase of 75%.

There were no cases of manslaughter in 2018 as opposed to one case in 2017.

Fraud decreased by 63.7%, from 656 cases in 2017 to 238 cases in 2018.

Other high points of decline are in the areas of rape, defilement and child trafficking.

Reported cases of rape reduced from 47 in 2017 to 33 in 2018, representing a decline of 29.8%, while defilement saw a marginal decline from 173 cases in 2017 to 157 cases in 2018, representing 9.2% reduction.

Child trafficking reduced from 19 in 2017 to 2 in 2018, representing a decline of 89.5%.

Other areas that increased in the number of reported cases of crime were forgery, possession of fire arms without authority and possession of dangerous drugs.

There were 10 reported cases of forgery in 2018 against one in 2017, representing an increment of 90%. Also, there were 14 cases of possession of arms without authority in 2018 against six in 2017, representing a133% rise. Possession of dangerous drugs also recorded a rise of 24.4% from 45 cases in 2017 to 56 cases in 2018.

The Regional Commander Ebenezer Francis Doku said that with the support of the media and all citizens, the police will curb crime.

"It is, however, the resolve of the Regional Command to bring crime to the barest minimum and it is on this note that I urged the media and the Public to cooperate with the police in ensuring safe, secure and peaceful communities,” he said.