The Tema Regional Police Command has cautioned against violence arising from chieftaincy disputes, student unrest, landguard activities, and the upcoming Homowo and other festivals across the Tema Police operational area, warning that anyone who threatens public peace would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Addressing journalists at his maiden media briefing in Tema on Thursday, July 23, 2026, the Tema Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Eric Asamoah Asiedu, said the command remained committed to protecting lives and property while intensifying efforts to combat armed robbery, narcotics trafficking, and other violent crimes.
He urged traditional leaders, educational institutions, community leaders, and the public to support the police by providing timely and credible information to help maintain peace and security in the region.
DCOP Asiedu said the command had observed increasing tensions over chieftaincy disputes and advised all factions to refrain from provocation, violence, unlawful assemblies, and the use of vigilante groups, stressing that such disputes should be resolved through the appropriate legal and traditional processes.
He also warned landguards to desist from using force, weapons, intimidation, and unlawful occupation of land, adding that intelligence-led operations had been intensified to identify and prosecute offenders.
The Regional Commander further expressed concern over incidents of student disturbances and inter-school clashes, cautioning students against violence, reprisals, and possession of offensive weapons. He appealed to parents, guardians, and school authorities to collaborate closely with the police to promote discipline and peaceful coexistence.
With the Homowo Festival approaching, DCOP Asiedu called on celebrants to uphold the values of peace and unity. He acknowledged that disputes over traditional rites, including the sprinkling of kpokpoi, had in the past resulted in attacks and breaches of the peace, assuring the public that adequate security arrangements had been put in place throughout the festival period.
Crime Fighting
On crime-fighting efforts, DCOP Asiedu disclosed that police investigations in recent weeks had led to significant breakthroughs in three armed robbery cases, three narcotics-related cases, and a murder investigation.
Among the major recoveries were 717 bags of suspected stolen rice linked to a warehouse robbery at Tema Community Nine, 600 bags of stolen organic fertiliser recovered at Kpone, and thousands of parcels of suspected narcotic substances intercepted during separate intelligence-led operations.
He added that in one of the narcotics cases at Toflokpo near Sege, police rejected an alleged GH¢150,000 bribe offered by a suspect to secure the release of a truck loaded with suspected narcotic substances and its contents. DCOP Asiedu said the suspect was immediately arrested and later arraigned before the Ashaiman Circuit Court, while efforts continue to arrest the driver and alleged owner of the truck who remains at large.
He said suspects arrested in the various cases had been arraigned before the courts, while investigations continued to apprehend other accomplices and recover outstanding exhibits.
The commander also recounted an attempted robbery at Zenu-Atadeka in which armed suspects exchanged fire with police officers during an intelligence-led operation. One suspect, he said, died during the shootout, while a police officer sustained minor injuries and was treated and discharged. Three other suspects escaped with injuries and are being pursued.
DCOP Asiedu warned armed robbers, drug traffickers, and other criminals that the Tema Regional Police Command had strengthened intelligence gathering, patrols, and collaboration with other security agencies, declaring that there would be no safe haven for criminals within the region.
