Security improvesat Kejetia

April
THE security situation at the Kejetia terminal, once a den of criminals, has improved tremendously, thanks to effective collaboration between the police and the security department of Freko FD Limited, managers of the terminal.
There is now a conducive environment for drivers and passengers alike to move about without any fear of attacks and harassment from criminals.
The police and management of the company confirmed that law and order was prevailing at the terminal, considered the biggest lorry park in West Africa, as pickpockets and other criminals were finding it difficult to operate.
The police hailed security personnel of Freko Limited for effectively complementing their efforts to check crime at the lorry park ever since the police post was established.
Chief Inspector S.A. Asamoah, the station officer at the Kejetia Police Post, said the crime rate had reduced tremendously and that only 25 per cent of the cases reported at the station were from the terminal while the remaining 75 per cent came from the Race Course end.
He said law and order was essential in ensuring effective administration of the terminal and that was what the Freko security personnel were assisting the police to do.
Chief Inspector Asamoah said checking crime was essential for such a huge area like Kejetia, and this called for co-operation between the police and the general public.
He spoke against instant justice and said the situation normally prevented the police from conducting investigations into various crimes.
He underscored the importance of handing over suspects to the police to deal with the situation.
Chief Inspector Asamoah dismissed allegations about brutalities on suspects by security personnel of Freko Limited at the Kejetia terminal, explaining that to the best of his knowledge no case of brutality or extortion had come before them.
He stressed the need for the public to encourage the Freko security personnel to do their work with all seriousness rather than discouraging them.
The Chief Inspector advised the security personnel to go about their duties without fear or favour and always ensure that they keep within the laws of the land to enable them to continue to win the confidence of the police and the general public.
The General Manager of Freko Limited, Mr Asante Boahen, in an interview, said the company’s security personnel were there to protect drivers, travellers, traders and other people who go to the terminal daily. Recent allegations in a section of the media that the security personnel were engaged in some negative acts were therefore untrue.
He noted that it was not the duty of the security personnel to collect money for the company, and that it would be difficult for anybody to claim that the security personnel were collecting money from them.
He said the mandate of the security personnel was clearly defined. It included traffic control, patrol duties and general operations relating to preventing criminals from operating at the terminal.
Mr Boahen said in most cases it was security personnel rather who came under attack by traders as they tried to enforce law and order at the terminal.
He stated that the company had made sure that only their revenue staff collected revenues, and act on behalf of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) by enforcing its bye-laws on hawkers who would flout the laws.
Mr Boahen maintained that trading and hawking were illegal at the terminal and gave the assurance that every effort would be made to ensure that such practices ceased.
The Managing Director of Freko FD Limited, Ms Freda Darko, for her part, urged the public to co-operate with the company and report any case of harassment by staff of the company to management for appropriate action. She said the company would ensure that the terminal remained a much better place for the various operations.