The personnel, made up of 10 senior police officers, 208 chief inspectors, inspectors and other ranks, are expected to protect civilians from violent attacks in South Sudan.

Last year, the FPU deployed 170 police personnel, including six officers and doctors, to ensure peace and security in South Sudan and contribute towards the development of that country.

As part of the preparation for the mission, the personnel had undergone an eight-week capacity-building exercise, with assistance from the International Police Peacekeeping Operations Support (IPPOS) of the United States of America (USA).

Exhibit professionalism

At the closing ceremony in Accra yesterday, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Mr John Kudalor, stressed the need for the personnel to exhibit a sense of professionalism and commitment, particularly so because the service could not afford to lower the standard set by Ghana internationally.

He said he had been encouraged by the report he had received from those personnel currently in South Sudan and advised the personnel on the need to maintain the standard or improve on it.

The IGP urged the personnel to be guided by the motto of the Ghana Police Service: “Service With Integrity”, in their operations.

Mr Kudalor used the occasion to appeal to the USA to support the country with modern equipment to be used in its peacekeeping operations.

Assurance

For his part, the US Ambassador for Ghana, Mr Robert Jackson, assured the police of his country’s readiness to offer training assistance to the security services.

He said the aim of the US was not only to assist partner countries as they prepared the next police unit for deployment but also invest in a strong national training system that would continue to prepare high quality police for future rotations and peacekeeping operations.

Background

Violence erupted in South Sudan's capital Juba in mid-December 2014 and spread to oil-producing regions and beyond, dividing the two-year-old landlocked country along ethnic lines.

Juba's government forces are battling an armed rebellion. More than 1,000 people have been killed and more than 230,000 driven from their homes in the world's youngest state.