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The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, has handed-over some protective equipment to the Ghana Police Service (GPS), under its “Programme to Build and Strengthen the Police Structures in selected partner countries in Africa”.

At a brief handing-over ceremony, officials of GIZ, led by Mr. Philipp Kauke, an attaché at the Political and Protocol Section, the German Embassy, handed over 2,000 protective goggles, 10,000 boot covers, and 95 knapsack sprayers to a team of the Police Management Board Members.

The equipment would help the Police officers to protect themselves and citizens at police stations, quarantine stations, and national borders from COVID-19.

The GIZ is implementing the regional programme on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Mr Kauke said: “Aligned to the Ghana Police Service Transformation Programme, our Police Programme strengthens Ghana’s Police in their reform initiatives to improve training capacities, establish functioning and known accountability measures, and further implement their community policing approach to contribute to human safety and security.

“However, at the onset of COVID-19, it is important for us to support the Government of Ghana through our partners, the Ghana Police Service, in their preventive measures against the pandemic.”

Commissioner of Police Nathan Kofi Boakye, Director-General for Research and Planning, GPS, who led the Management team, expressed gratitude to the German Embassy and GIZ, for the laudable assistance.

“By having these protective equipment, which will be distributed to police divisions, police officers can also render their services from safe working environments for citizens and themselves, by regularly fumigating Police Stations, including the cells, ” he said.

Commissioned by the German Government, GIZ is supporting the police services in nine African countries, at the G5-Sahel Secretariat, and the African Union. They include: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Cameroon, Kenya, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal.

The programme is expected to contribute to the promotion of peace and stability, the prevention of conflicts and security threats, and the improvement of human security.

It would also support the other relevant actors in the security sector by providing expert advice, training and capacity development, strengthening of management capacities and providing essential equipment, among others.

The programme, which has been implemented since 2008, was recently extended to Ghana, under which the GPS and GIZ would cooperate on reforms in training systems, accountability, and community policing.

The jointly developed measures would be implemented until the end of 2022.