country programs
About Youth Crime Watch of Ghana
Youth Crime Watch of Ghana helps schools and communities in Ghana start and sustain their YCW programs. Services include:
- Background information about Youth Crime Watch
- YCW awareness presentations
- YCW implementation training for your site
- Technical assistance getting your site started
- Technical assistance once your site is up and running
YCWG is operated by the Ghana Police Service through its Public Relations Directorate, see www.ghanapolice.org.
News from Ghana
December 12, 2009: YCW Ghana featured on GhanaWeb
The Ghanaian news portal, GhanaWeb, featured Youth Crime Watch on December 12, 2009. See the article: Include Youth Crime Watch Concept in National Youth Policy
March 2008: YCWA Special Advisor for Africa provides advice, inspiration
YCWA International Special Advisor for Africa Benjamin Kwame Tawiah has graciously offered his advice and counsel to sister programs starting up in Africa. Most recently, he met with Abi Samir of Togo to discuss the youth-led crime prevention and leadership philosophy and opportunities for adding Togo to the Youth Crime Watch family. YCWA expresses its thanks and gratitude to Benjamin Kwame Tawiah for his priceless help in growing the movement in Africa.
Abi Samir of Togo paying a courtesy call to YCWA Special Advisor Benjamin Kwame Tawiah (right) in his office in Ghana.
February 2008: Youth crime prevention forum attracts large numbers
YCW Ghana partnered with the Brass Ring Media Network to organize a national Crime Prevention Forum for youth across the country. The event was well attended, with young people coming from various regions representing a range of national groups. The forum was held in the Rex Cinema auditorium.
Elizabeth, from the Eastern Region, leads the gathering in prayer.
14-year-old Martin, a Liberian living in Ghana, puts his question to the panel
A young lady from the Central Region puts his question to the panel of police and public health officials.
Benjamin Kwame Tawiah, YCWA International Special Advisor for Africa, addressing the gathering at the Crime Prevention Forum.
DSP Kwesi Ofori Ag. Director, Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service, takes his turn to address concerns and questions asked at the forum.
ASP Cephas Arthur, Deputy Director, Public Relations Directorate of the Ghana Police Service ready to answer questions at the forum.
Mr. McCauley, Senior Psychiatrist at the Psychiatric Hospital, Adabraka, Accra, fields a question from the audience.
Representatives of the Dress Makers Association of Ghana.
November 25, 2007:
This story was originally posted on Ghana Web
Youth Crime Watch in schools
Somanya (E/R), Nov. 25, GNA - The Police Administration has announced a new scheme that targets young people in schools and colleges as part of efforts to combat crime.
The Inspector-General of Police has directed Regional and Divisional Commanders to assist schools and other groups interested in the 'Youth Crime Watch' on how to establish the organization. Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal and Special Duties, Mr S.B. Mettle, said this at the inauguration of the Mount Mary College of Education Police Cadet Corps at Somanya on Saturday. The measure is aimed at helping equip the beneficiaries with tools that would enable them to recognize the modus operandi of criminals and also serve as the eye and the ear of the police in local communities. Mr Mettle said the programme sought to raise the general sensitivity of the youth to crime and would furnish them with skills in profiling criminals, criminal character formation, personal security awareness and safety skills.
He said the Police administration was hopeful that by giving students physical and mental training they would grow-up with positive attitude and the idea of doing what is right while encouraging others to do likewise.
January 6, 2007:
This story was originally posted on Ghana Web
IGP to Launch Youth Crime Watch Programme
Accra, Jan 6 - The Inspector General of Police, Patrick K. Acheampong will soon launch Youth Crime Watch of Ghana, as a mechanism in engaging the youth, to report crime cases and provide crime-free, drug-free environments through a youth-led movement.
The launch will be held at the Mount Mary Teacher Training College at Somanya, in the Eastern Region.The forthcoming launch follows a Youth Conference on Campus Crime Education, held three years ago at the Police Headquarters in Accra. It involved some educational institutions, including the Cape Coast University, the Accra Teacher Training College and others.
A memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to that effect, over three years ago, between the Police Administration and the Youth Crime Watch of America (www.ycwa.org), hence the need to implement the initiative.
The Youth Crime Watch of America programme is seriously needed now in every school and community, because of the high crime rate among the youth, says Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori. More also, about 70% of all crime case in Ghana, were the youth, hence, the IGP decision to make the youth the target.
“Youth Crime Watch of Ghana will help instill positive values, foster good citizenship and build self-confidence in the Ghanaian youth and enable the youth to become resources for preventing crime, drug use and violence in their schools and communities” DSP Kwesi Ofori emphasized.
Basically, the mission of YCWG will be attained through the formation of clubs in every school in Ghana, (which some schools in the Greater Accra, Central, and Ashanti regions, has already been established) where students would write articles, be involved in quiz competitions, debates and discussions. Police Personnel will also be involved to ensure the success of the programme.
December 2006: YCWG Joins with U.S. Embassy to Plan a Celebration of African American and Ghanaian Greats
BrassRing Media Network and the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in association with the Youth Crime Watch of Ghana and Ghana Television are organizing a celebration of Black History Month 2007.
Black History Month (February) next year, coincides perfectly with the 50 years of Ghana’s Independence celebrations, and YCWG would like to use this historic occasion to provide a platform for an exhibition of names and statements made by Black people who have contributed to the advancement of America and Ghana. Thus, Martin Luther King Jr., Andre Young, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and others, will be focused upon with exhibits and film screenings.
To make the whole Black History Month celebration meaningful, educational and inspiring to the Ghanaian youth, YCWG have planned a couple of variety shows to attract local talent in the area of art and entertainment as well as science and engineering. The youth shall be given the opportunity to be behind the microphone, to sing, rap (Hip Hop Connection Music Show – with the theme: “Youth Against Crime, Drugs and Violence") followed by a Poetry Slam with Local Poets and performance by some of today's accomplished Black American artists.
Participants would win fantastic prizes which will be sponsored by the Public Affairs section of the United States Embassy and other cooperating organizations.
On this occasion, students across the country shall be invited (through the Ministry of Education) to come in full force and participate in various areas for the talent hunt.
This whole event is organised and planned by Benjamin Kwame Tawiah at YCWG. The Public Affairs Section of American Embassy has generously committed take on 1/3 of the total budget for this event.
Look for more information as the event nears - February 2007!
April 2005: Ghana is recognized as the Casey International Program of the Year.
April 2005: Ghana police commissioner receives International Extra Mile Award from Youth Crime Watch of America
The International Extra Mile Award recognizes the hard work done by dedicated individuals to establish Youth Crime Watch programs in international settings. We recognize these individuals for accepting the challenge and "going the extra mile" in adapting the crime watch philosophy to local conditions. To them and all their brothers and sisters, Thank You!
Richard Safo-Kwateng
As the Commissioner of Police in the Ghana Police Service and one of the signatories on the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year by Youth Crime Watch of America and Youth Crime Watch of Ghana, Richard Safo-Kwateng is a significant force in the quick success that the YCW program in Ghana has achieved. His vision and leadership has helped make Ghana a safer place for youth to learn, grow, and prosper. We congratulate him on all his accomplishments, his leadership, and are pleased to recognize him as a recipient of the 2005 International Extra Mile Award.
See other winners.
March 2005
Youth Crime Watch of Ghana held a basketball tournament and a "What do you know?" contest this month.
Feb 2005
On February 12, YCW of Ghana will team with a local radio station and other corporate sponsors to produce a "Fun Games" day for 15 local schools with the theme "Youth Against Drugs, Crime, and Violence." The invited schools have been identified as having significant problems with drugs and violence. Event organizers hope pique the youths' interest with events such as swimming and go-carting. The games are expected to draw 3,500 participants from around Accra.
July 2004
YCWA email recently brought us a wonderful report from Inspector Augustine Arthur. A summary:
Ghana has been energetically reaching out to start partnerships in new locations and to spread the word about Youth Crime Watch throughout its own territory as well as abroad in other African nations. With support from the Police Inspector General, the Community Policing Unit and Public Relations Directorate of the Ghana Police Service are collaborating to realize the goals of their crime watch program.
Inspector Arthur has been tirelessly working to spread the word too, with visits to schools and communities to speak with youth and their adult partners. The message: how youth can serve as valuable assets in solving social problems such as crime.
YCW has already been established in several locations in Accra
- Accra Technical Training Centre
- Armed Forces Secondary Technical School
- Wesley Grammar Secondary School
- Nungua Secondary School
- St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School
- Odorgonno Secondary School
- St. John's Grammar Secondary School
- Accra Teacher Training College
- Labone Secondary School
- Heralds International Youth Tourists Club
Youth in Accra can also look forward to a basketball tournament being organized under YCW auspices by Mr. Benjamin Kwame Tawiah. Partnerships in the capital city have also been formed with local companies: Ghana Breweries Limited and the Cocoa Processing Company.
Sites in Takoradi, the capital city of the Western Region of Ghana, serve youth in some of the nation's most troubled communites, Kwesimintsim and Apremdo. Energetic local site leaders have helped establish these sites.
YCW in Ghana also reaches out to the refugee community with a YCW site at the Liberian Refugee Camp at Buduburam in the Central Region. The youth in the camp, fleeing from war at home, are at high risk for criminal involvement and the YCW program is a timely intervention for them.
Future expansion is planned in Kumasi, Ghana's second city, in the Ashanti Region. And the Ghana Police are networking with police institutions in other African countries to spread the word about the program throughout the continent.
Great work!
February 2004
Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a special ceremony at the 15th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference and International Forum near Washington, DC, establishing the Youth Crime Watch of Ghana program. The Government of Ghana became the first sovereign state to sign a MOU with YCWA. Inspector Augustine Arthur of the Ghana Police Service, the implementing agency, signed for Ghana, with Benjamin Kwame Tawiah, the young activist who started the process in Ghana, looking on. Ghana will implement the YCW program ultimately in all ten regions of the country and be a reference point for other West African countries.
Also at the conference, Augustine Arthur and Benjamin Kwame Tawiah were recognized for their hard work getting the program underway with an International Extra Mile Award. (See Ghana Home Page's write-up on Benjamin)
Congratulations to our sister program in Ghana! We at YCWA wish you the best of luck in your efforts!
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