Re - A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

The Ghana Police Service has opened a huge can of worms which justifies the decision that it must be revamped because its top hierarchy does not believe in fairness . Why were some service officers currently on peace keeping missions benefitted from the latest promotions and others left out? Your guess is as good as mine.

I refer to your publication dated 17/10/08 on the above subject matter and wish to clarify some issues concerning the current police service. In the first place a service officer must have a clean record of service as the foremost pre-requisite for selection to undertake a competitive examination in english language for consideration for a peace keeping mission.

Thereafter, the uniforms these service officers will use during their stay in the mission areas are sold to them at an exhorbitant price between $ 700 USD and $1000 USD by the police administration whereas in all other countries worldwide, it is given free of charge. Also some deductions are made in the salaries by denying them some allowances by their employers in Ghana which hitherto was not the case though they represent the country and raise our flags high in the mission areas. About a month's per diem of about $ 700 USD per person is provided by the UNITED NATIONS for service personnel prior to duty tour. In all countries eg. Nigeria, this amount is not retrievable by the police administration but the case is opposite in Ghana and it's interesting to note that the final destination of the money is the pockets of the I.G.P and his cronies.

In addition, these service officers are made to pay an amount of $ 1000 USD at the end of the duty tour into the 'coffers' of the police administration, an account which has never ever been audited. Taking all these into consideration, it is very difficult to understand why those who are due for promotions should be denied by the curent I.G.P.

In the Police service, administrative promotion is based on seniority which ensures a yearly increament in salary so if an officer should return from an official duty such as the peace keeping and realize that he/she is lagging behind in rank creates dissaffection and much stress In my view, the I.G.P. is creating the impression that it's suicidal for his personnel to embark on peace keeping missions though it is mandated. The Government of the day should therefore intervene and ensure that justice prevail in the Ghana Police Service.