Ghana to Commence Police Marine Academy
Source: SPY Ghana
by Emmanuel Opoku, Ellembelle
The Minister of the Interior, Kwesi Ahwoi, last Friday cut the sod for work to begin on administrative and academic blocks for the Marine Police Academy at Aiyinase in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region in Ghana.
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Kwasi Ahwoi (right) and others cutting the sod for the project. Inset: Some patrol boats to be used by the police
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The school, when completed, will offer first class maritime training to police personnel to sharpen their skills to combat illegal human trafficking, narcotic smuggling, toxic waste disposal as well as any other threat posed to oil and gas installations.
The project, which is being supported by the United States Government through its African Command (AFRICOM), will cost $900,000.
The project is being undertaken by COSAP Ghana Limited and will be completed in eight months.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Ahwoi said the Police Marine training school would train and sharpen the skills of police personnel on maritime security.
Mr. Ahwoi called on the Ghana Navy and the Marine Police Unit to team up in order to combat maritime crime and protect the country’s oil and gas installations.
“The two security agencies should help clamp down on any threat posed by pirates to the oil and gas industry and ensure peace and harmony on the West African country’s territorial waters”, he added.
This, he said, would go a long way to curb any threat posed by criminals to the petroleum industry and ensure the integrity of the country’s territorial waters.
He explained that the establishment of the police marine training school was to train and sharpen the skills of police personnel on maritime security and not meant to usurp the mandate of the Ghana Navy.
According to the Minister, the Navy defended the territorial waters of the country against external aggression while the police Marine Unit arrested and prosecuted criminals on the high seas, adding “it is not an avenue to create competition between the two security agencies but complement each other”.
Mr Ahwoi commended the United States Government and the United States African Command (AFRICOM) for providing funding for the construction of the administrative and academic blocks for the school.
He expressed the hope that the police marine training school would become a mini-university for the training of police personnel in the country and other police officers within the West African sub-region.
The Interior Minister commended the Chief of Aiyinase, Nana Antwi Kpanyinli, for releasing a parcel of land for the project and advised the indigenous people to take their education seriously to gain employment in the petroleum industry.
Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), said the oil exploration had its associated security implications on the country hence the re-activation of the Police Marine Unit to beef up maritime security.
He indicated that the Police Marine Training Academy would offer international standard training to police personnel that would sharpen their skills to combat human trafficking, narcotic smuggling, toxic waste disposal as well as any threat posed to the oil and gas installations.
He said the Police Marine Unit would collaborate with all the necessary state agencies to enhance security on Ghanaian waters saying the unit would serve as a deterrent to criminals.
Madam Carolyn Pat Alsup, Deputy United States Ambassador to Ghana, said US was happy to partner Ghana in strengthening her maritime security domain.
She entreated the Police Marine Unit, the Navy and the Fisheries Commission to communicate and share information to ensure maximum security of the country’s maritime domain.
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