At least 538 police officers have been transferred from the Upper West Region in the last two years, a situation which has led to a deterioration of the Region's security.

Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku said only 917 police officers remain in the region. There used to be 1,500 personnel two years ago.

He bemoaned, the transferred officers have not been replaced exposing the residents to criminals.

"The crime rate somehow has increased...we are very disturbed, we are very worried," he told Joy News Regional Correspondent, Rafiq Salam after the close of a Rgional oordinating ouncil meeting Monday.

He said criminal activity is usually perpetrated by persons from the neighbouring Northern Region and therefore, wants the Security Councils of the two Regions to meet over the issue.

The Deputy Minister urged the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery and the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu to help beef up the security presence in the Region.

The Upper West Region has at least 702,110 residents making the population to police ratio 765 to one police officer.

This ratio is close to the national police-population ratio (PPR) of 1:784 which falls short of the United Nations’ (UN) policing standard of one police person to 500 people.

Ghana has 30,000 police officers across 651 stations and the government has said it plans to recruit 8,00 more police officers.