The Queen Mother of Wassa Anyinabrem in the Wassa East District of Western Region, has lamented about an abandoned police station expected to be used in ensuring security in her community.
According to Nana Adwoa Saarah I, stealing, smoking, gambling, fighting and stabbing among other crimes which have become rampant in the area are attributable to the lack of police personnel to work in the deserted police station.
She noted that the structure, built in a bush, has been left for two years and has become a breeding ground for rodents and reptiles.
The Queen mother added that, the nearest police station is in Daboase, 20 kilometres away from Wassa Anyinabrem, hence police presence during emergency cases is always a problem, a situation she said has left residents in fears since their security is at stake.
“With the level of crimes being committed in the area, if the police are present, that may deter them to some extent” she noted in Twi in her plea to the government to help address the challenge.
Some of the residents of Wassa Anyinabrem also expressed their displeasure about the situation and the extent to which they have been engulfed in fears since criminals have taken over the area.
According to one of the residents the criminals go into hiding when the police are called and by the time they return, the case would have become a foolish one due to the distance the officers would have to travel.
A man also expressed his despair as trying to keep the area around the edifice cleared of weeds the facility goes unused.
The Assembly Member for Wassa Anyinabrem electoral area, Vida Damoah also recounted the numerous steps she has advanced to ensuring the utilization of the abandoned police station which has proven futile.
“Now the youth have refused to weed the surrounding. I have met with the Queen Mother and members of the community over the problem yet have come to naught.”
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for Wassa East District, Emmanuel Boakye revealed to angel FM’s reporter, Nana Fynn, that it is the lack of accommodation that has kept the police station abandoned for the past two years but assured that he would provide the accommodation so that the facility can be used before the end of this year.
He said: “Where the police would live is the challenge that’s why they are not using the facility, but I will ensure that the accommodation problem is addressed to enable them work. So I am projecting that by the close of the year, the police will begin to work from there.”
