POLAS launches 70th anniversary celebration
The Police Ladies Association (POLAS) yesterday launched its 70thanniversary witha call on the members to join hands with their male counterparts to ensure equity in the Police Service.
It was on the theme“Celebrating 70 years of female policing in Ghana, Her evolution and future.”
The programme brought together members of the police management board, members of POLAS, senior police officers, Member of Parliament of KorleKlottey Constituency, DrZenatorAgyeman Rawlings, National Association of Retired Police Officers, past executives of POLAS and sister security agencies.
The Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, in a speech read on his behalf by his chief director, Mrs Adelaide Annor-Kumi, said the women police had come by dint of hard work, commitment, perservance and determination to unite and facilitate initiatives which promotes safety.
He said from a humble beginning of just 12 female officers, members had been inspired to stand tall, occupy and are contributing significantly to the socio-economic, cultural, political, justice administration and human security.
Mr Dery said Ghana over the years had won the accolades as a ‘beacon of democracy’ and oasis of peace and security in the sub-Saharan African region.
“The role female police officers have played and continue to play for this country to earn this global accolades cannot be over-emphasised. Women in police do have a significant impact on law enforcement practices in diverse ways,”he added.
The Minister said women police officers played a critical role in promoting peace and security, adding that their role in public order management activities and specialised capacities such as the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) as well as their participation in other high risk operation cannot be downplayed.
The Director-General of Police Administration, Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, who represented the Inspector General of Police (IGP),Dr George AkuffoDampare,stated that the period when women were disadvantaged at work had become a thing of the past in all spheres of national life within this democratic dispensation.
He called on members to join the police administration in its transformation agenda to win the hearts and minds of the public to support in undertaking their constitutional mandate with strategies.
The President of the POLAS, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah in her remarks said even though women became accepted into the Police Force, there were still policies and practices which prevented female officers from making effective contribution to the force, adding that in 1968 policewomen who got married were made to resign from the force.
“It is worth noticing that POLAS was formed in 1989 and gave recognition to the needs and interest of police women,” she said.
COP Addo-Danquah who is also the Executive Director of the Economic Crime Office urged the policewomen to contribute significantly to the current themes of the Police Administration to restore public trust, command public respect, regain public confidence and cement police legitimacy.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
