Ghanaian policewomen supporting peace, security in Somalia

Ghanaian policewomen deployed to serve in Somalia are making meaningful contributions to the fight against Al-Shabaab and other armed rebels in Somalia.

Out of the 196 Ghanaian Police personnel on the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) working to solidify peace and security gains in Somalia, there are 37 Ghanaian women.

The female police officers play a variety of roles in the male-dominated area where terrorist groups like Al Shabaab have plunged Somalia into more than three decades of instability.

Roles

The Head of the Individual Police Officer in Somalia is a Ghanaian police officer, Superintendent of Police Enyonam Klu; the internal investigations of the Police Component of ATMIS is headed by Superintendent of Police Phyllis Dwamena Tettey and the Head of Public Information of the ATMIS police component is Superintendent of Police Irene Serwa Oppong.

Others are the Traffic Advisor, Deputy Superintendent of Police Mabel Teiko-Tettey; the Deputy Investigations Advisor, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rose Haligah; and the Deputy Head of the Gender Unit, Chief Inspector Florence Ayamga.

From metro mass 
to armoured car

Also is Corporal Dorothy Asare, who used to drive a Metro Mass Transit bus before she was recruited into the Ghana Police Service, currently an armoured vehicle driver.

“Female police officers are as good as their male colleagues in all areas.

I want more women to become aware of the fact that there are different options or pathways in policing which they could consider as a career option. I am a driver and l am here,” she said.

Another Armored Vehicle driver, Inspector Prisca Medakpe-Tekpor, who learnt how to drive the armoured vehicle popularly referred to as Mamba in Somalia said "Now when l come home, l can even drive a trailer.

The exposure and the many things l am learning from here will go a long way to enhance my policing profession."

The ATMIS Police Public Information Officer, Superintendent of Police Irene Serwa Oppong, commended the female police officers working with fellow policewomen drawn from various countries in Africa to achieve the mandate of ATMIS.

Women inspiring women

For Deputy Superintendent of Police Phyllis Gyamena-Tettey, whose duty is to ensure that all the police officers with ATMIS follow the Standard Operating Procedures, the diversity of cultures and expertise increases effectiveness and professionalism, which is essential to meet the mandate of ATMIS.

"We work side by side and respect each other as professionals and also learn from each other,” she said.

A weapon instructor, Corporal Lucy Dennis Tseganu, and Corporal Anita Afedo, who is a gunner, said they were passionate about their work and were happy to serve as an inspiration to the young Somalian women.
"They admire us a lot and some of them aspire to be like us and that is good news," said Ms Tseganu.