A recent article by Delassie Mabel Awuku, published on TV3 Ghana, has highlighted concerns about the current police road check system in Ghana. Awuku, a concerned road user, argues that while police visibility and security checks are crucial, especially on major highways, there is room for improvement to make these checks more efficient, less stressful, and more people-centred.
Awuku's concerns were sparked by a recent journey to and from Cape Coast, where she encountered multiple police checkpoints along the major highway. She noted that the cumulative effect of these checkpoints can be frustrating, particularly for long-distance travellers. At some checkpoints, vehicles are slowed considerably, creating long queues and adding unnecessary delays to journeys.
The writer suggests that there may be alternative ways to achieve the same security objectives without causing unnecessary stress to motorists and passengers. Awuku proposes that technology, better positioning of checkpoints, targeted checks, improved traffic management, or a more streamlined system could help. She leaves the technical solutions to the professionals within the Police Service but emphasises that the experience of the ordinary traveller should be considered.
Awuku also raises a practical question about the effectiveness of the current approach, wondering if individuals planning criminal activities would deliberately join a long queue of vehicles with visible police presence. While acknowledging that policing requires vigilance, she suggests that it may be worth examining whether the current routine approach is the most effective use of police resources.
The issue, Awuku stresses, is not about removing police presence from highways but finding a balance between security and the need for motorists to move efficiently and safely. She notes that repeated stops, delays, and congestion can make an already tiring journey even more stressful for long-distance drivers, professional drivers, families with children, elderly passengers, and people travelling for urgent reasons.
Awuku has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to take a fresh look at the system of police checkpoints on major highways across the country. She urges the Ghana Police Service to explore ways of making these checks faster, more targeted, better coordinated, and more courteous to travellers while maintaining the necessary level of security.
The writer's plea is for better, more people-centred policing, emphasising that policing should ultimately be about protecting people and that how people experience that protection matters.
Key points
- The Ghanaian writer Delassie Mabel Awuku is calling for a review of police road check procedures to make them less stressful for travellers.
- Awuku suggests that technology, better positioning of checkpoints, and improved traffic management could help achieve the same security objectives more efficiently.
- The writer emphasises the need for a balance between security and the need for motorists to move efficiently and safely.
