Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih has called on chiefs and people of Takpo traditional area under Nadowli/Kaleo District to always report criminals living among them and their activities to the Police. He said this would assist the police in fighting the high rate of crime in the region.
The call was made in response to insecurity concerns raised by the paramount chief of Takpo, Naa Widaana Nanga during the celebration of the 2019 Wilaa Festival at Takpo.
Dr. Bin Salih said “reporting criminals to the Police will assist in arresting such criminals in our society which can reduce the crime rate in the region”. He cautioned the public against running to his office or any politician for help whenever a criminal is arrested stressing that he would not tolerate it under his leadership as Regional Minister.
According to him, working to develop the region and minimizing crime in the Upper West Region was his top most priority. He noted that the criminals terrorizing the region were living in various homes with their family members, yet people fail or refuse to report about their activities but rather shelve them from the police.
“The criminals are living with us in our homes and we know them but would never report them to the police. As soon as one is arrested, you would see parents of this criminals running to the Regional Minister, DCE and other politicians to talk to the police to release them with the notion that, we are all one people”, he explained.
Dr. Bin Salih told the gathering of chiefs and people of Takpo that such attitude must be condemned by all to pave way for the police to freely do their work without obstructions.
“I promise you that I would do anything humanly possible that would assist the police to fight crime to its barest level in the region”, he added.
Dr. Bin Salih in his quest to improving health service delivery, said he was working hard towards seeing the completion and operationalization of the Regional Hospital in Wa.He said the Health Minister will visit the region in May 2019 to see how best they can collaborate to the complete the project behind schedule.
He also called on the people of Upper West Region to take advantage of government’s Planting for Food and Job programme to alleviate poverty and reduce hunger. He noted that, fertilizer smuggling into the neibouring countries that was meant to support farmers in the region has become a major Challenge. He challenged people to report such cases to the police anytime there is a hint on anybody smuggling fertilizer out.
The Regional Minister said the distribution of fertilizer to farmers was nonpartisan and that people should take advantage of it and register under the programme. He said, “if anyone is denied of fertilizer on partisan ground the person should report to him immediately For the necessary actions to be taken”.