572 CPA RECRUITS END TRAINING
572 CPA RECRUITS END TRAINING July 09, 2010
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A total of 572 Community Protection Assistants [CPAs] under the National Youth Employment Programme [NYEP] have passed out after six weeks of training at the Upper East Regional Police Training School at Pwalugu. The recruits who were selected from districts across the country comprised 465 males and 107 females.
The passing ceremony is the second in the series. The first batch of 516 CPA recruits passed out a couple months ago.
In an address at the passing out ceremony, the National Coordinator of the NYEP, Mr. Abuga Pele disclosed that the NYEP has the objective of training 5000 recruits to augment the number of police personnel in the country. This he said, will reduce minor duty schedules on personnel who could be reassigned to carry out other pertinent police duties.
Mr. Pele said government has pumped a lot of resources into the community protection programme with a carefully structured exit plan for the NYEP employees. He revealed that by the end of the two year engagement of the recruits, some of them of good standing will be absorbed into the Ghana Police Service.
The coordinator said similar programmes such as youth in immigration, youth in prison service and fire service will soon be rolled out as way of complementing the work of personnel at these respective agencies. Mr. Pele pledged government’s commitment to pushing more funds into ongoing restructuring efforts to ensure that the NYEP makes the necessary impact on the youth of Ghana.
He said the CPA graduands will be posted to duty stations nationwide and urged them to live above reproach wherever they find themselves. He commended the regional police command and the regional coordinating council for their support in training the recruits.
The Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo who also addressed the parade cautioned the community protection officers not to use their positions to harass members of the public as they instead, will need the cooperation of the public in order to perform their duties.
Mr. Woyongo noted that the work of the community protection assistants does not extend into the wider scope of police duties and therefore advised them against holding themselves as police officers. He said for instance, their duties do not include effecting arrests and other high profile police duties. They thus should only carry out such duties when ordered by their superior officers who will be supervising their work.
The regional minister said the public will also monitor their performance closely adding that they should not see police personnel as their rivals but rather work with them to maintain peace and keep order in the communities.
Mr. Woyongo asked the graduating recruits to be disciplined and show commitment to duty at all times.
The Upper West regional police commander, DCOP Roy Amuni who delivered a speech on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, observed that the recruits are passing out at a time the police service is taking necessary measures to rebuild its image due to unprofessional behaviours exhibited by a few police officers.
DCOP Amuni further observed that the police check points and traffic control duty points are the areas that some police officers are accused of extortions and high handedness. He said it is the hope of the NYEP and the police administration that the recruits will not condone any unprofessional acts.
The police commander noted that according to section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Act, community protection officers have no powers of arrest and detention. He therefore urged this caliber of officers to humble themselves and only act on instructions from their supervisors.
Five recruits who distinguished themselves during the training period were presented with awards with the overall best recruit award going to CPA recruit Joseph Andor.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A total of 572 Community Protection Assistants [CPAs] under the National Youth Employment Programme [NYEP] have passed out after six weeks of training at the Upper East Regional Police Training School at Pwalugu. The recruits who were selected from districts across the country comprised 465 males and 107 females.
The passing ceremony is the second in the series. The first batch of 516 CPA recruits passed out a couple months ago.
In an address at the passing out ceremony, the National Coordinator of the NYEP, Mr. Abuga Pele disclosed that the NYEP has the objective of training 5000 recruits to augment the number of police personnel in the country. This he said, will reduce minor duty schedules on personnel who could be reassigned to carry out other pertinent police duties.
Mr. Pele said government has pumped a lot of resources into the community protection programme with a carefully structured exit plan for the NYEP employees. He revealed that by the end of the two year engagement of the recruits, some of them of good standing will be absorbed into the Ghana Police Service.
The coordinator said similar programmes such as youth in immigration, youth in prison service and fire service will soon be rolled out as way of complementing the work of personnel at these respective agencies. Mr. Pele pledged government’s commitment to pushing more funds into ongoing restructuring efforts to ensure that the NYEP makes the necessary impact on the youth of Ghana.
He said the CPA graduands will be posted to duty stations nationwide and urged them to live above reproach wherever they find themselves. He commended the regional police command and the regional coordinating council for their support in training the recruits.
The Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo who also addressed the parade cautioned the community protection officers not to use their positions to harass members of the public as they instead, will need the cooperation of the public in order to perform their duties.
Mr. Woyongo noted that the work of the community protection assistants does not extend into the wider scope of police duties and therefore advised them against holding themselves as police officers. He said for instance, their duties do not include effecting arrests and other high profile police duties. They thus should only carry out such duties when ordered by their superior officers who will be supervising their work.
The regional minister said the public will also monitor their performance closely adding that they should not see police personnel as their rivals but rather work with them to maintain peace and keep order in the communities.
Mr. Woyongo asked the graduating recruits to be disciplined and show commitment to duty at all times.
The Upper West regional police commander, DCOP Roy Amuni who delivered a speech on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, observed that the recruits are passing out at a time the police service is taking necessary measures to rebuild its image due to unprofessional behaviours exhibited by a few police officers.
DCOP Amuni further observed that the police check points and traffic control duty points are the areas that some police officers are accused of extortions and high handedness. He said it is the hope of the NYEP and the police administration that the recruits will not condone any unprofessional acts.
The police commander noted that according to section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Act, community protection officers have no powers of arrest and detention. He therefore urged this caliber of officers to humble themselves and only act on instructions from their supervisors.
Five recruits who distinguished themselves during the training period were presented with awards with the overall best recruit award going to CPA recruit Joseph Andor.
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