ADVANCED fee fraud, otherwise known as 419, which was hitherto little known in the Western Region, has sprung up, largely due to the recent oil find in the region.
Unsuspecting individuals are deprived of their hard-earned fortune by miscreants.
The Western Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, announced this at the annual get-together of the police, popularly known as WASSA, in Takoradi at the weekend.
He said with the oil find, all manner of fraudsters were coming to the region and using all kinds of tricks to dupe innocent people.
He said however that the police were firmly in control of the situation and would ensure that law and order prevailed in the region.
The region recorded a decrease in some of the major crimes during the first quarter of the year, compared with the first quarter of 2009.
DCOP Mahama said 375 cases of fraud in the first quarter of 2009, as against 5,620 in the first quarter of 2010, an increase of 187, representing 33.3 per cent.
There were 54 murder cases in 2008, as against 53 in 2009; seven attempted murder cases were recorded in 2009, as against 12 in 2009, and 22 robberies each in 2008 and 2009.
The region also recorded 230 defilement cases in 2008, compared to 285 in 2009, representing a 19.2 per cent increase; 49 rape cases in 2008 and 47 in 2009, with 15 attempted rape cases in 2008, as against 16 in 2009.
DCOP Mahama was worried that the chieftaincy institution, which was regarded as a noble one, was gradually losing its dignity and respect in the region.
He said the institution was embroiled in land disputes, among others, which normally resulted in chaotic situations.
He mentioned Sefwi Wiawso, Asankragwa, Wassa Dominase, Amuni, Asankrabreman, Bowire, Elubo, Akyempim, Princess/Akatakyi, Apremdo, Akwidaa, Adjoa, Ainyinase, Asemko, Karlo, Dadieso, Sewum, Nyankaman, and New Yakese as some of the areas with chieftaincy disputes in the region.
He said illegal gold mining, popularly known as “galamsey”, was on the increase in the region, adding that that activity had caused considerable damage to the environment, as well as polluted the limited water bodies in the region.
DCOP Mahama warned some of the chiefs who were fomenting chieftaincy disputes and also conniving with the illegal gold miners to desist from that negative practice or they would have themselves to blame.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Betty Busumtwi-Sam, said the police were not found wanting in their operations in the region.
She said there was co-operation among all the security services in the region for specific operations so the people in the region could count on them for future assignments.
She said the police could help reduce the carnage on the roads if they worked assiduously and allowed the law to operate.
The Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, who is also the Two Garrison Commander, Commodore Tim Appiah, stated that Western Region was very unique in the sense that all the security services, including the Navy, the Army and the Air Force, were represented there.
“Together, and with co-operation on our side, we can combat crime in the region to ensure peace, unity, stability and tranquillity for socio-economic development in the region,” Commodore Appiah stated.
The Takoradi Harbour Master, Captain F. Adjabeng, said the social problem at the port was the incidence of stowaway.
He said the 37 supply and support vessels for the Jubilee Oil Fields were owned by foreigners and that all crew on board were also foreigners.
He suggested that there should be a law to compel owners of those vessels to employ a certain percentage of Ghanaians.
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