IGP begins tour of northern regions over increasing highway robberies

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh will on Wednesday begin his tour of crime hotspots in the northern regions following increasing reports of highway robberies there.

This comes on the back of an earlier arrival of special anti-robbery teams in the region to support local police to combat highway robberies.

Director of Public Affairs for the Ghana Police Service, Supt. Shiela Abayie-Buckman told JoyNews the “this will be for areas where we have seen some kind of crime recently.”

According to her, the IGP will also interact with his team on fashioning ways to deal with the menace.

“While we are there, the Inspector General of Police is expected to visit scenes of crime, particular of highway robbery.

“He will also meet with police officers of various ranks to discuss what would have possibly gone wrong and then find solutions,” Supt. Abayie-Buckman

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

The incident led to fear among drivers with tomato traders boycotting their trade.

However, the National Chairman of Tomato Traders and Transporters Association, Osei Tuffour had hinted the association has called off their strike following the new development.

“There are armed policemen deployed to the two Northern regions and they have also instructed police to escort us from Kumasi to the Paga border.

Today, we are offloading tomato across all markets within the country so no more strike again.”