President John Dramani Mahama has declared that the country is safer now than it was before, citing a reduction in unresolved murders and the testimony of a bus driver who now travels even at 2 a.m. without fear of highway robbery.
He said the Ghana Police Service, under Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno, was doing a good job, and commended the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Police Intelligence Department and the Police Cyber Unit for their work.
“Our country is safer today than it was before. I wish to repeat the testimony of a bus driver who said that before, they had to queue and were afraid to travel at night because of highway robbery.
He says today, anytime the bus is full, even at 2 a.m., they take off because the roads are safer.
We also have a reduction in unresolved murders,” President Mahama said.
He made the remarks when he inaugurated the Christian Tetteh Yohuno Ward Complex, an 85-bed block at the Ghana Police Hospital at Cantonments, Accra yesterday.
President Mahama described the prevailing security measures as reassuring, saying it was no wonder everybody wanted to visit Ghana, which is regarded as the safest country in West Africa.
Present at the ceremony were the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak; the IGP and other senior officials of the Ghana Police Service.
Police accommodation
Turning attention to the facility, President Mahama said it represented an important investment in the health and welfare of police personnel and the hospital’s capacity to serve the wider public.
He said the inauguration was a practical expression of the government’s responsibility to care for those who served the nation and improved access to health care.
The President assured the Ghana Police Service of continued logistical support.
President Mahama announced that he had asked the Minister of Finance to provide GH¢300 million in the 2027 Budget for the construction of 250 new apartments for police personnel to ease congestion in some barracks.
He said last December, he handed over 50 armoured vehicles to the police, and that a second batch of 40 armoured vehicles was expected in the coming weeks.
The government was also procuring additional body armours for officers on operational duties, the President added.
Hospital expansion
On the Police Hospital expansion project, President Mahama said Cabinet had terminated the 22-year-old contract following protracted disagreements and cost overruns with the contractor.
Again, he had asked the Minister of Finance to provide approximately GH¢200 million in the 2027 Budget to complete the project.
He said the completion of the expansion would add 106 beds to the hospital, bringing the total to more than 300.
It would include a 12-bed intensive care unit (ICU), a new accident and emergency centre, 11 consulting rooms and four paediatric consulting rooms.
Other facilities, President Mahama said, would include MRI and CT scan equipment, three general surgical theatres, an orthopaedic theatre, an endoscopy unit and a 222-capacity mortuary.
“We are going to complete it ourselves and bring it into service before the end of next year,” he said.
The President also donated two new ambulances to the Police Hospital to support emergency response and the work of the new Christian Tetteh Yohuno Ward Complex.
Mental health support
The President disclosed that seven officers injured in the line of duty in Bunkprugu were on admission at the new block after being transported to Accra.
He said all facilities for their care were available in the Christian Tetteh Yohuno Ward Complex.
President Mahama stressed the need for mental health support for officers, saying repeated exposure to violence, tragedy and distress could take a lasting toll.
He said counselling and treatment should be accessible without fear or stigma.
Maintenance
President Mahama charged the hospital’s management to uphold the highest standards of hygiene, patient safety and clinical practice, and to ensure regular servicing of equipment, availability of medicines and consistent maintenance.
“The value of this facility will be measured by the quality of care that it delivers and by how well it is maintained over time,” he said.
The President thanked the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technicians and support staff, and urged them to treat patients with dignity, compassion and respect.
