Winneba: Afenyo-Markin commissions police apartments at Fetteh-Osakam
Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has commissioned residential apartments for personnel of the Ghana Police Service at Fetteh-Osakam in Winneba as part of efforts to improve their welfare and strengthen security in the municipality.
The project forms part of his broader development agenda, dubbed “The Effutu Dream”, which seeks to enhance security, improve public services and create opportunities for residents.
The apartments represent the first phase of initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions and operational capacity of security personnel in the municipality.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mr Afenyo-Markin said decent accommodation for police officers was essential to effective policing and the protection of lives and property.
He stressed that sustainable development could not be achieved in an environment where people felt unsafe, noting that businesses, investors and residents required peace and security to thrive.
“Development means very little if our people cannot live in peace and security,” he said, adding that insecurity could undermine public confidence, economic activity and relations between communities and security agencies.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the facility was also intended as a demonstration of appreciation for police officers who dedicate themselves to protecting residents.
He noted that officers deserved decent accommodation and favourable working conditions, considering the demands of their profession and the risks associated with their duties.
“Behind every uniform is a human being: a father, a mother, a husband, a wife, a son or a daughter, each deserving of dignity and a decent place to call home,” he said.
The Effutu MP urged officers who would occupy the apartments to uphold professionalism, fairness and respect in their dealings with the public.
He called on the police to ensure equal treatment for all citizens, regardless of their social status or political affiliation.
“Let the poor man who walks into a police station receive the same attention and prompt justice as the influential person with connections. Let the widow know that the law belongs to her too,” he said.
He further urged the police to ensure that their uniforms symbolised protection and reassurance rather than intimidation, particularly for young people.
Support for other security agencies
Mr Afenyo-Markin said his efforts to improve security infrastructure in Effutu extended beyond the Police Service to other security agencies.
He disclosed that construction work was progressing on an ultramodern office for the Ghana Immigration Service at Esuekyir, while a modern fire station for the Ghana National Fire Service at Gyahadze was also under construction.
He pledged to pursue the completion of the two projects and said the Ghana Prisons Service would also remain part of his plans to improve the operational capacity and welfare of security agencies in the municipality.
The MP stressed that development should not be limited by political differences, arguing that security, education and other essential public services should be accessible to all residents regardless of their political affiliations.