ACP ADOFIEM: New Regional Police Commander starts Dampare-like non-kinectic policing in Upper East
There was a change in command at the Upper East Regional Police Headquarters on Monday, 4th December 2023.
Bawku Police Operations Commander, ACP Raymond Adofiem, assumed duty as the Upper East Regional Police Commander. Incumbent Regional Commander, DCOP Lomotey, was transferred to take over the Command of the Upper West Region.
We were in the Garu and Tempane general areas on 9th December 2023, when Bolgatanga S&As reported a large military presence in Bolgatanga. Additionally, Paga S&As reported hints of Police non-kinectic community engagements among traders in the Paga general area in the evening of 9th December 2023.
As we moved from Garu through Bawku to Bolgatanga, we saw at Nangode at about 5.15 pm, some soldiers in a big white bus and two “abongo” trucks and a “scorpion” light armoured vehicle travelling from the direction of Bolgatanga to the Bazua barracks of the No.11 Mechanized Battalion.
At Bolgatanga, locals we interacted with wondered whether the soldiers were in town to thwart a breach of peace and security by some Mamprusi Youth – through the Bolgatanga chapter of the Mamprugu Youth Association – who had announced that they were organising celebration of a damba festival at 1.30 PM on 09/12/23 at the “Mobil Park.” The Bolgatanga Traditional Council had written to the Mamprusi Youth that it would be provocative for a celebration of Mamprusi Damba, as “there is currently a chieftaincy dispute in Bolgatanga which the Paramount Chief of Mamprugu has initiated in Court to claim suzerainty over Bolgatanga.”
As of the time of writing this report, the powerful RADIO VOR was spreading information on an upcoming visit of Dr Bawumia to Bawku on 12th December 2023. So the locals were saying that the huge presence of the soldiers in Bolgatanga on 9/12/23 were likely to be for providing security for the Vice President on his visit to Bawku.
Dampare-like Police Community engagements at Paga
From about 8.46 PM to 9.50 PM, ACP Adofiem and Chief Supt. Ahiamale, the Paga District Police Commander, and some Police Personnel went on an IGP Dampare-style engagement with food hawkers, traders and drivers preparing to load truck loads of fresh pepper to market centres in Kumasi and Accra.
Interestingly, ACP Adofiem spoke the local dialect and translated the concerns of the traders/drivers/hawkers to Chief Superintendent Ahiamale – a native of Dzodze in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region.
Some concerns raised and discussed included the following:
(1). Arrest of motorking tricycles carrying persishable goods
The traders pleaded with the Regional and District Commanders to allow arrested offending motorking tricycle operators to offload the perishable items they carry at the market centres before they are made to face the law. T
(2). Disco lights for motorking tricycles
Some motorking tricycle operators said they work in the night transporting goods from remote villages to market centres, and often crash into other tricycles because the single headlights used by tricycles and motorbikes create problems for riders in dark places. Tricycle riders assume that they are approaching small motorbikes in the darkness only to crash into a “wide body” tricycles. So the tricycle operators suggested that the Police should advise all motorking tricycle operators to fix “disco-type lights” on tricycles, which can help differentiate a motor tricycle from a two-wheel motorbike in the night – to avoid deadly crashes.
(3). Tricycles and motorbikes without headlights and registration numbers
Some motorcycles and tricycles were found without headlights and registration numbers. The Regional Commander advised that when offenders are arrested, the riders should be made to fix the headlights, and DVLA officials must be invited to register the bikes before the bikes are released to their owners.
(4). Locals said the Paga District Commander is too tough on them
Some traders and drivers said they appreciated the work of the District Commander and how relatable and approachable he is. Others also said he is too tough and hard on offenders and wished the IGP would transfer him.
(5). Armed robbery on the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway
A driver from Kumasi lamented the incidents of armed robbery on the Bolgatanga-Tamale road. The Regional Commander used the opportunity to educate the drivers on efforts the Police makes to escort vehicles in the night from the Karimenga barrier near Pwalugu, and also from the Nasia barrier.
(6) See Something Say Something, and Hear Something Say Something public education
The Regional Commander educated the traders on the threats of terrorists to the immediate border communities. He advised them to say something to the Police and other Security Agents when they see or hear something strange in their communities.
(7). Continuous Police Community Engagements
We noted that the traders, drivers and hawkers were surprised, delighted and appreciative seeing the Regional and District Police Commanders come to interact with them. They were really surprised to realise they could easily and freely express their concerns to the Police and answers were immediately provided to address their concerns.
We noted that the walkabout among the traders, hawkers and drivers was quite a strange, new occurence for the local Police.
The Regional Commander advised the local Police to do more community engagements/public education in markets, schools, churches, mosques, palaces, etc., to bring policing to the doorstep of the locals.
From the desk of the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinaire/Plenipotentiary to BAWKU
11th December, 2023