Police Memorable Day: Fallen Police Officers immortalized
Story by: Sheila Satori
Vice President of the Republic, His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia today laid a wreath and lighted the perpetual flame in honour of 11 police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty this year.
The Police Memorable Day held at the Police Training School, is to celebrate the fallen police heroes for their dedication and commitment to peace and stability of the country.
The deceased officers are Chief Inspector James Issaka Aroma and Chief Inspector Abednego Kofi Kechire.
Others are General Sergeant Moses Tetey Nartey, General Corporal Charles Adjei Osekre, General Corporal Martin Baba and General Lance Corporal Emmanuel Osei.
The rest are General Constable Kwarteng Abebrese Nanatwi Collins, General Constable Francis Odoi, General Constable Amos Maatey Niganoko, General Constable Ernest Newtown Dwamena and General Constable Iddrisu Gafaru.
Police memorable Day: Fallen Police Officers immortalized
Seven out of the 11 officers lost their lives through road traffic accidents. Chief Inspector Kofi Kechire was escorting the advance team of the Speaker of Parliament to Wa when he involved in a road crash at Juaso in the Ashanti Region in August.
Chief Inspector James Issaka Aroma together with four police officers were responding to a robbery incident when they were involved in a fatal accident along the Walewale – Bolgatanga road. General Constable Iddrisu Gafaru together with four other Police Officers were responding to a robbery incident when they were involved in a fatal accident along the Walewale- Bolgatanga road in October.
General Constable Francis Odoi was on duty at a Police Checkpoint on the Techiman – Kumasi highway when he soughted permission to buy food in town using his motorbike unfortunately he was knocked down by a private car and an oncoming tanker run over his head, killing him instantly while General Constable Amos Maatey Niganoko was also knocked down by a salon car driven by Farouk Adams, a footballer of Aduana Sporting Clubin while on his way back to his duty post in March.
General Corporal Charles Adjei Osekre together with four other Police Officers, were responding to a robbery incident when they were involved in a fatal accident along the Walewale- Bolgatanga road. General Sergeant Moses Tetteh Nartey while on duty responding to distress call, at Pramkese in the Eastern Region, he was shot and killed by armed robbers. General Constable Kwarteng Abebrese Nantwi Collins succumbed to congestive heart failure, hypertensive heart disease on 7th December,2020 while on election patrol duty at Ahafo Region.
Police memorable Day: Fallen Police Officers immortalized
General Corporal Ernest Newtown Dwamena while on Anti- Armed Robbery Operational duty, he was involved in a motor accident which led to his death while General Lance Corporal Martin Baba also died while escorting a bullion van,on reaching the outskirt to Adansi – Nyankomasu township on the Obuasi – Asokwa Junction in the Central Region, he was shot and killed by a group of armed men.
General Lance Corporal Emmanuel Osei while escorting a bullion van at James Town Inthe Greater Accra Region,he was attacked ,shot and killed by armed robbers in June.
Eight of the fallen police officers had their names engraved on the Wall of Honour and three on the Roll of Honour.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was joined by the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery and IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare and other government officials and families and friends of the deceased officers.
The Police Memorial Day is used to celebrate serving officers who lost their lives while performing lawful duties.
The day which was instituted in 2014 is used to engrave the names of the gallant officers on permanent monuments in line with international best practices.
Director/ Religious Affairs, DCOP/Very Rev. Fr. George Arthur said the questions to be reflected upon at such memorial ceremonies by the Government, the Ghana Police Service and the entire citizens of the Nation are;- what lessons we have learnt from these adversarial killings of Police Officers and what preventive measures and mechanisms are been putting in place to prevent the preventable casualties in future.
“They have left an indelible mark on the strong walls of Ghana Police Service – worth of emulation” he said.
Vice President signing Roll of Hour book @ the event
Ceremony:
In attendance at the ceremony were the Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery; the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lt Gen. Obed Boamah Akwa.
Also present were family members of the deceased, retired and serving policemen and some members of the public.
Vic President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia later signed a Book of Remembrance and engaged the families of the deceased in good-natured conversation.
Wreath laying:
Dr. George Akuffo Dampare laid a wreath on behalf of the Police Administration, while Mrs. Vida Aroma, who lost her husband, Chief Inspector James Issaka Aroma, laid one on behalf of the bereaved family, with Nii Duodo Nsaki II, the Otublohum Mantse, laying another on behalf of the chieftaincy institution.
Vice President interacting with bereaved family
Wall of Honour:
The names of the fallen heroes were engraved on a Wall of Honour, a commemorative wall on which the names of policemen who perish through adversarial or combative action are engraved.
On the other hand, the names of policemen who die in the course of performing lawful duties but not through adversarial actions are embossed in a book referred to as the Roll of Honour.
Eligible policemen are selected by a panel, subject to the approval of the Police Management Board
Board:
The membership of the panel and the criteria for selection are set out under the Police Service Instructions.
Policemen who die in the course of lawful duties but are disqualified are not celebrated on memorial days.
Such policemen are those who die through suicide, misconduct, gross contributory negligence and performing duty under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or similar substances.
Officers immortalized:
The 11 policemen immortalised at this year’s Memorial Day brings to 64 the number of policemen who have been honoured posthumously in the past six years.
Of the number, eight were honoured in 2016, 10 in 2017, 13 in 2018, eight in 2019, 14 in 2020, while 11 were honoured today.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
