Government has started providing protective gears for police officers who escort bullion vans to different destinations across the country after rampant attacks from armed robbers.
This was made known by Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery.
He indicated that such officers will be givne bullet proof vests, helmets and body cams.
“The government has started providing bulletproof vests, bulletproof helmets and we are also working towards providing body cams. Discussions are ongoing between the IGP and the banking systems, and we are going to facilitate that to see how we ensure that the bankers and the police personnel are better protected than they are now,” he said.
This initiative comes after the gruesome murder of now Lance Corporal Emmanuel Osei by armed robbers some few days ago while he was on escort duty.
The Lance Corporal died on the spot from gunshots while the armed robeers made away with huge sums of money from the bullion van.
“The government has started providing bulletproof vests, bulletproof helmets and we are also working towards providing body cams. Discussions are ongoing between the IGP and the banking systems, and we are going to facilitate that to see how we ensure that the bankers and the police personnel are better protected than they are now,” he said.
The outgoing IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh, following the killing of the officer suggested that the bullion van was substandard and therefore gave banks up to the end of June to provide fortified bullion vans or have no police officer escorting their cash.
Banks in the country however indicated that the deadline given them by the Police is not realistic.
They said it was too close to enable them make the needed changes.
