The Ghana High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, His Excellency Prof Kwaku Danso-Boafo has stated that the scourge of armed robbery in Ghana is real but efforts are underway to eradicate the problem.

“The scare of armed robbery in Ghana is real but the government of Ghana has put in place safety measures to arrest the situation.”

Measures such as the establishment of more police stations on the high roads of Ghana have been prescribed to curb the incidence.

“Police stations are to be built close to each other  to ensure effective tracking of highway criminals” the High Commissioner stressed.

Ghana ,he said remains a very safe society but advised travellers to take certain precautions to prevent becoming victims of robberies just as they will do in the United Kingdom.

Professor Danso-Boafo made these remarks at a forum organised by the Ghana Union, yesterday for the Ghanaian Community in the UK.

His Excellency the High Commissioner praised the government’s efforts to improve logistics for the Ghana Police through the provision of vehicles and other hi-tech communication gadgets for effective highway patrols.

The well attended programme was graced by Ghana’s deputy Minister of Interior, Kwabena Owusu Acheampong who added that the government was in talks with the Ghana Private Road

Transport Union (GPRTU) to have armed police officers on all long distance buses to ensure safety of passengers.

The deputy Minister however regretted that GPRTU bosses were demanding that the police officers paid fares before boarding the buses to carry out their operations.

Government’s plan to install close circuit and scanning devices on GPRTU buses has also been resisted by drivers apparently because “they did not want their employers(owners) to track their nefarious deeds” the deputy minister said.

The new immigration rules, the Ghana High Commission and the Community and Child Protection and Social issues were among the topics covered at the forum.

By Floorence Simpson/Voice of Africa Radio/UK