The launch, held in Tamale, brought together representatives of the Ghana Police Service from the five regions in the north, officials of JICA and other key stakeholders. 

As part of the launch, 30 Police personnel, drawn from the five regions, were trained on enhanced community-centred policing mechanisms as part of efforts to promote trust, prevent crime and improve Police-community relations. 

Miss Momoko Suzuki, Country Representative of JICA, speaking during the opening of the launch, underscored the importance of community-centred policing in addressing emerging security threats in the northern part of the country and the wider Sahel region. 

She said although Ghana had long been recognised for her stability, evolving security challenges required innovative and preventive approaches rooted in collaboration and trust-building. 

She said, “Community policing offers a strategic response through trust-building, proactive engagement and collaboration between the Police and the communities they serve.” 

Ms Suzuki explained that the training would equip participants with practical skills in conflict prevention, participatory safety planning and community engagement, emphasizing that peace and stability were critical to sustaining development. 

She reaffirmed JICA’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s security architecture describing the programme as part of broader efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and promote sustainable peace. 

She said “Peace and stability are not the responsibility of government alone; they must be sustained through close collaboration between authorities and the communities they serve.” 

Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr Mohammed Fuseini Suraji, Director-General of the National Patrols Department of the Ghana Police Service described the initiative as a strategic investment in capacity building to deepen public trust and foster sustainable partnerships between the Police and communities. 

He said it would create a multiplier effect as trained officers were expected to cascade the knowledge and skills acquired to other personnel across the regions, divisions and districts. 

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gifty Mawuenyaga Tehoda, Director of Community Policing at the Ghana Police Service said the training was designed to institutionalise community policing as a core philosophy within the Service. 

She said “Community policing is not merely a programme. It is a philosophy that seeks to place the community at the centre of security delivery.” 

She urged participants to take the training seriously and serve as agents of change by promoting collaboration, conflict prevention, and trust-building in their respective jurisdictions. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Wisdom Lavoe, Northern Regional Police Commander, expressed appreciation to JICA for its continued support, saying the partnership had contributed significantly to professional policing and institutional development. 

He encouraged the selected officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by actively participating in the training and applying innovative approaches to strengthen Police-public relations. 

Naa Yap Degshegu Lana, Abdulia Zakaria, who represented the Paramount Chief of Sagnarigu Traditional Area, expressed a need for stronger collaboration between security agencies and communities to sustain peace and stability. 

He emphasised the need for shared responsibility, youth empowerment and dialogue in addressing conflicts and reaffirmed the commitment of traditional authorities to supporting community policing initiatives.