The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing Esq., has called on police officers in the region to deepen collaboration with communities to help sustain peace and address emerging security threats in the region.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a three-week community policing capacity-building programme in Wa, the head of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Puozuing Esq. stated that modern security challenges, such as violent extremism, cross-border crimes, and communal tensions, required stronger partnerships between citizens and security agencies.
“Sustainable peace is built when citizens and security institutions work together in mutual trust and shared responsibility,” he stated.
Adding that community policing remained one of the most effective tools for maintaining peace and stability.
The programme, organised by the Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM), COOSTA, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Ghana Police Service, trained 90 police officers from districts across the Upper West Region in community engagement, conflict prevention, intelligence gathering and proactive crime prevention.
DCOP. Francis Yiribaare, the Upper West Regional Police Commander said the training had equipped officers with practical skills to strengthen trust between the police and the public.
“Modern policing demands more than just the enforcement of laws. It requires genuine collaboration with the people we serve,” he stated.
He urged the participants to become ambassadors of positive policing in their communities and help prevent conflicts before they escalate.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM), Amos Nunifant, commended the officers for their discipline and active participation throughout the training.
“Policing works best when communities trust the police,” he said, encouraging the officers to apply the lessons learned with professionalism, respect and empathy in their respective districts.
By Ibrahim Abubakari Wangara
