President of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso
• The IGP has said crime is everywhere even in developed countries
• He said this to hit back at critics calling for his resignation
• But the GCPP has called on the IGP to retract his statement
President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, to retract a statement he made when he visited the bereaved family of the late Constable Emmanuel Osei after the robbery incident at Jamestown in Accra.
The IGP, during his visit, asked Ghanaians to lower their expectations from the police because crime is experienced everywhere apart from heaven.
He said, “We are doing what we can to protect the people of Ghana. There is no society in the world where there is no crime. Even in the USA, UK, and Sweden, where they, more or less have everything, they still have crime. The only place that doesn’t have crime is heaven and we are not in heaven.”
This statement has courted several controversies to the extent that many are calling on the IGP to resign for making such a statement.
The latest to join in this conversation is the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council. President of the group, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso is calling on the IGP to retract those comments
He explained that Ghanaians are looking up to the Police Service for an assurance of safety and not for their hope to be dampened.
“The issue of crime has no political colouration; therefore, it is the responsibility of the ruling government to ensure the protection and safety of her citizenry, hence government should not read any political meaning into the concerns of the people. The Council also admonishes the IGP to retract his statement that ‘there is crime everywhere, apart from heaven’,” he said.
A hawker and police escort, Constable Emmanuel Osei, were shot dead by robbers at Jamestown in Accra on Monday, June 14.
The robbers bolted with his gun and an undisclosed amount of cash.
The bullion van driver sustained degrees of injuries and was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital where he received medical attention.
Meanwhile, the police have placed a GH¢20,000 bounty for information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.