The murder rate in 2018 is at its lowest in 7 years – Report

General News of Sunday, January 27, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-01-27

A report by the African Institute for Crime, Policy and Governance Research (AFRICPGR) on statistics of violent crimes covering a seven-year period, from 2011 to 2018, shows that the murder rate in the country has decreased significantly in 2018.

The report sets the murder rate in 2018 at 1.7 per 100,000, up from 2.1 / 1,000 in 2017, 1.9 / 1,000 in 2016 and other higher rates in previous years.

It also shows that the robbery rate is the highest in 2018, or 6.5 flights per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, 6.1 / 1,000 in 2017, 4.9 / 1,000 in 2016 and lower rates in previous years.

A key observation is that the two election years covered, in 2012 and 2016, both saw an increase in robbery rates.

The publication of the report comes at a time when there seems to be a frequency of murder cases, the most recent being the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

These events triggered a debate between the government and the opposition, the NDC, on whether the country is currently in a state of insecurity.

While the opposition party says the country is in a state of insecurity, referring to at least four murder cases in 2019, the government does not agree.

But the report, which focuses on murders and robberies, which dominated concerns about growing insecurity, suggests mixed perceptions.

"In conclusion, do Ghanaians have reason to feel insecure? Our response, based on our badysis of two violent crimes, is mixed: Ghana has its highest rate of robberies in seven years. However, he also has his lowest murder rate during the same period. Thus, any feeling of insecurity will probably be caused by robberies that are characterized by murders, "the report concludes.