Star Oil donates GH¢1million towards construction of new CID facility

Star Oil, an oil marketing company, has donated a substantial GH¢1 million to assist in the construction of a new facility for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. This new facility is projected to cost GH¢11 million and is anticipated to significantly enhance the CID’s investigative and operational capabilities upon completion. The new facility will provide essential amenities such as office space, interrogation rooms, and detention facilities to cater to the department's needs.

Philip Tieku, the CEO of Star Oil, expressed his gratitude by stating that the donation was made in recognition of the CID’s crucial role in addressing security challenges faced by the company's nationwide operations. He highlighted how the department’s efforts have bolstered security monitoring at over 280 locations across Ghana, leading to a reduction in the need for physical security personnel at some lower-risk stations.

Tieku noted that the department has been invaluable in assisting Star Oil through numerous situations, enabling the company to implement a remote security monitoring system supported by the CID.

COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, the Director-General of the CID, expressed her appreciation for the donation, emphasizing that the new facility will help resolve longstanding issues related to the department's insufficient detention space at its headquarters. Donkor explained that the department frequently has to utilize other police stations for the detention and interrogation of arrested individuals, which places additional strain on those facilities.

She pointed out that the lack of adequate facilities within the CID headquarters has been a persistent concern, as arrests often necessitate transfers to other stations, thereby burdening them as well. The new facility will feature eight detention cells for male and female suspects, a separate cell designated for juveniles, interrogation rooms, investigation offices, IT facilities, and even a cafeteria on the top floor.

David Mawuli of Delta Plus, the contractor overseeing the project, provided an update on the construction timeline, estimating that it will take approximately 12 months to complete the facility, assuming the necessary resources are allocated.