Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged security agencies to avoid intimidating or exploiting citizens, stressing that public confidence is critical to effective law enforcement.

She said security institutions can only succeed when the public trusts them enough to cooperate and support their work.

Speaking during a visit to the Ministry of the Interior on Monday, July 13, the Vice President encouraged officers to strengthen their relationship with citizens through professionalism, openness, and respect.

“One of the major issues, I think, has to do with public trust. The public must have faith in us,” she said.

According to her, citizens must believe that the work of security agencies is ultimately aimed at protecting their safety and well-being.

“They must have so much faith in us that they want to collaborate with us because they believe in what we are doing, that in the end it’s about their own safety,” she stated.

The Vice President cautioned security personnel against using their authority to mistreat citizens, urging them to explain the basis for their actions when enforcing laws and regulations.

“We don’t exploit people. We don’t intimidate people unnecessarily. But we explain the basis of our actions so that those of us who fall outside of the regulations will know that we deserve some kind of treatment,” she said.

She also urged officers to engage more with communities and demonstrate that their presence is intended to serve the public interest.

“We must be friendly. We must put ourselves out there for them to know that it’s for their benefit that we exist,” she added.