The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Bank of Ghana (BoG) have been charged to ensure that banks operate with armoured bullion vans in order to reduce the rate of robbery attacks on the vans during Cash-in-transit (CIT).
A Government Spokesperson George Ayisi who made the call while speaking on the Big Issue on TV3 Friday, June 23 said he has absolute trust and confidence in the current IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare to arrest the robbers who attacked a bullion van at Ablekuma in Accra on Thursday, June 22, killing a Police in the process.
“I have absolute trust and confidence in the current IGP to apprehend the perpetrators,” he said after making call to the BoG and the IGP to work to reduce the attacks.
It is recalled that the central bank in 2021 issued a directive for all financial institutions to procure the protective sophisticated vans failure to which the Bank of Ghana said it would not admit any substandard or soft-skinned Cash in Transit (CIT) vehicles into any of it’s premises nationwide.
This deadline was however extended to July 1, 2023 just after the James Town robbery attack on a Bullion Van in which a police officer was killed and another by- stander was hit with a stray bullet.
The series of robbery attacks on officers accompanying sub-standard vehicles for cash transfers forced the Inspector General of Police to issue threats not to escort any vehicle without the necessary protection for police officers.
Regarding the attacks at Ablekuma, the police issued a stern warning to the robbers behind the killing of the officer.
In front of a bullion van on security duties, the officer was shot multiple times at close range.
The sad incident followed an attempted robbery at the Star Oil Filling Station at Ablekuma Fan Milk, a suburb of Accra.
Four in number, the robbers are said to have followed the bullion van, which went to refill at the fuel station, where the shootout occurred.
“The police are on a manhunt to arrest a gang of four robbers who attacked a bullion van at Ablekuma Fanmilk, a suburb of Accra and shot the police escort who has unfortunately passed on,” a statement from the police said.
“Our prayers and thoughts are with the family of our deceased colleague in particular and all personnel of the Police Service in general.
“We wish to assure the public that we will surely get the robbers arrested to face justice.”