The Ashanti Business Owners Association (ABOA) has made a significant donation of GH¢200,000 towards the construction of temporary offices for police personnel at the Kumasi Central Police Station. The existing offices have been earmarked for demolition as part of preparations for a modern police office complex estimated to cost GH¢4.8 million. This project aims to replace nine pre-colonial police offices and provide improved facilities for police personnel.
The donation was made in response to an appeal by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) for support towards the project. According to the Executive Secretary of ABOA, Mr Charles Kusi Appiah Kubi, the association considers security a critical foundation for development and economic growth. He emphasized that a secure environment is essential for businesses to operate and invest with confidence.
The proposed modern police office complex will comprise six specialised holding cells and an executive conference room. The complex will address the severe infrastructure deficit confronting the Ghana Police Service in the Kumasi Central area, ease overcrowding in cells, and modernise security operations across the metropolis. The project is expected to improve the overall security infrastructure in Kumasi.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, received the donation at a ceremony in Kumasi. He stated that the contribution had brought the total amount mobilised so far for the temporary facility to GH¢410,000. The demolition of the nine old offices and the groundbreaking for the new complex will begin once the Assembly raises the remaining GH¢340,000 required to complete the temporary operational facility.
Mr Boadi disclosed that the government had committed GH¢4.8 million towards the construction of the proposed state-of-the-art police office complex. He highlighted that rapid urban growth in Kumasi had placed considerable pressure on existing law enforcement infrastructure and resources. The new facilities will help address these challenges and provide a safer environment for the community.
The existing facilities at the Kumasi Central Police Station lack designated holding areas for women and juveniles, resulting in the Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) transporting suspects to cells at Sofoline and Asokwa. The proposed six-cell facility will provide for the segregation of suspects based on gender, age, and the severity of offences, ensuring proper sanitary conditions for women and preventing minor offenders from being held together with hardened criminals.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive also proposed the establishment of a dedicated Kumasi Metropolitan Police unit, modelled on London’s urban policing framework, to focus specifically on policing and managing the city. The Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP Francis Kouame Somian, commended the KMA for the initiative and appealed to other organisations and individuals to support efforts to provide befitting offices and facilities for police personnel.
Key points
- The Ashanti Business Owners Association donates GH¢200,000 towards the construction of temporary police offices in Kumasi.
- The modern police office complex is estimated to cost GH¢4.8 million and will address the severe infrastructure deficit confronting the Ghana Police Service in the Kumasi Central area.
- The proposed complex will provide improved facilities, including six specialised holding cells and an executive conference room, to enhance security operations in Kumasi.
