THE GHANA POLICE AND THE 'DISGRACEFUL' 'U' TURN – PART 1

The most respectable public institution worldwide is the police service or force. Many civilized countries the world over rely much on the police institution to cater for the internal security of their respective nations thus leaving the territorial and/or external security to the military to deal with. One European nation that has, since years, not spent much money on their external security is Switzerland. Unconfirmed reports indicate that every Swiss national spends some reasonable time on military accoutrements and weapon training during their national service before going into active service or elsewhere after the tertiary institutions so in case of any external aggression, their nationals are recalled from wherever they may be to defend their country from foreign aggressors. As a result of efficient proactive police administration, the security of this fabulously rich country has for more than a century now, been in the hands of the country's police and they are very effective and active too. Information reaching this author's desk indicates that probably, apart from the Cayman Islands that has also become the next referral point of call for leaders from Africa and Third World countries to lodge 'stolen' monies from their home countries into their banks, the Union and the Central Banks of Switzerland, have indeed been the 'most reliable' and 'most well secured' and guaranteed safety banks throughout the world where effective banking and special maximum guaranteed security for such stolen monies was assured and has fetched the small but prosperous European country the needed economic impetus and consistent wealth creation for her survival.

WORLD'S NO.1
Switzerland however, may be the world's No.1 watch manufacturers with premium on notable wrist watches and clocks like the Pronto, Rolex and a few others, yet the economy of this country ranks amongst the best in Europe. The sustenance and systematic growth of their economy could not have been as it is now but thanks to politicians like the late Mobutus of Zaire - now Democratic Republic of the Congo, the late Sanni Abachas of Nigeria, the late Gnassingbe Eyademas of Togo, the Brother Muamar Gadhafis of Libya and possibly, some Ghanaian politicians, civil and public servants who sought refuge and guaranteed security there to lodge 'ill-gotten wealth (gold bars, diamonds, valuable jewelries) and undisclosed sums of stolen monies' from their home countries into their banks to enhance their economy and to create jobs for the jobless. The writer stands for correction anyway. Meanwhile, however, the European Union has been magnanimous to deprived countries whose leaders defied all odds to stash huge sums of monies into their banks and within the last 10 years or so, the authorities of these notable leading banks have now wizened up after realizing that these greedy persons and criminals cheated on the innocent majority and have there -fore resolved to repatriate portions of such monies for the development of these impoverished nations. The timely repatriation would help to boost development of infrastructure projects and basic amenities that hitherto had been denied their nationals. The wise decision by the EU will also curtail the mad rush of their youth to Europe in search of menial and non-existent jobs.

EFFICIENT POLICE PERFORMANCE
Since the appointment of Erasmus Reginald Teye Madjitey, Esq., as the first Ghanaian Commissioner of Police (now IGP) to take over from the British Commander, the Force has been one of the most remarkable, most effective, tremendous and well respected public institutions. The police even though, recruit men and women from within who are our brethren, their attitude, discipline and performance tell different stories whenever they were in uniform; and despite their relationship with us they would abandon any blood relations to cause our arrests when the order was given to do so. They could cause arrests, perform creditably, act efficiently and do effective and professional police duties devoid of monetary gains and partisanship. Gone were the days when relatives feared their own kith and kin in the force. Theirs was pure professionalism for promotion and mention in dispatches for bravery, gallantry, marksmanship etc. Those were the era when the 'Ahenfie' Police was even more fearful than the soldier at the barracks because the latter was not allowed to come to town to roam and fool about like the way we often mingled with them these days around town and even the market areas. Until the last days of PNDC and the advent of NDC1, civilians felt quite isolated from police personnel because the institution had undergone professional transformation. No one single administration tolerated the use of the police bullies by civilians anyhow for debt collections, rent collections in the reigns of police top brass like the J.W.K. Harlleys, the B.A. Yakubus, the S.S. Omanes, the Kwakyes and the Arkos but, sooner than later, the eras of the Peter Nanfuris, the F.P. Kyeis, the Owusu Pokus, the Nana Owusu Nsiahs, the Patrick Kwarteng Acheampongs and finally, the embattled Paul Tawiah Quayes ably supported by the Rose Bio Atengas with supplies of petro-chemical solutions to inflame passions and what have you, have clearly seen such an unprecedented performance of the police as the number one debt collectors for friends and clients. Police efficiency and professionalism have witnessed a remark -able downward trend; thus leaving indiscipline to creep into the command structure. Student-crowd demonstrations that, hitherto, had been effectively and professionally handled by dialogue and brought under control with precision and without much sweat, has now gone wayward to the Stone Age days. The profes -sionalism by the above police hierarchy was one way or the other, entirely thrown overboard to the dogs.

INEPTITUDE
Isn't it an irony that a casual visit to the police station for bail purposes or writing one's statement for being a suspect or some sort, one was asked to provide one's own 'fountain pen' to go through normal writing procedures. If, in the event, you were unable to provide one, the counter clerk would impudently and arrogantly request for 'bribe' money before he/she grabbed the station diary and set his/her pen to effect or write whatever information he/she deems fit for you. The other sad aspect was when you walked straight to the counter to report for police assistance, you were again impudently asked whether you had come over with a vehicle with which they could travel back with you to the trouble spot or the flash point. If you were lucky to go there with a vehicle, another possible statement to be expected was to leave some money on the counter inferring that you had already eaten before you went there hence that rude request for their fair share of the 'chop' money for that service. Idiocy isn't it? All what matters to them is money, money, money, nothing but money. Are they not being paid salaries? Now that they enjoy the Single Spine Salary Structure facility, why should they be greedy still? Silly, isn't it? Furthermore, another sad aspect that has contributed greatly to the general apathy and loss of public confidence in the police were when motor accidents occurred; normally the guilty motorist who was quick to pull out bigger money to influence the police was always the winner of such cases at the courts. If this assertion was proved wrong then It may well have been that this system changed only yesterday, otherwise that had been the normal trend whenever the elitist 'book-long' motorists had encounters with the 'zoombis tro-tro commercial drivers'. Now that their STX accommodation dream has somer -saulted and become a stillborn, they would continue in perpetuity to extort the usual cedi notes neatly placed in the roadworthiness certificates or the drivers' licences by the drivers themselves. The rumour-mill has it that failure by the MTTU despatch riders to render special accounts to the superiors after the day's highway motor checks automatically disqualified an officer from the next roster for road checks. And that was obvious. True or false? Any attempt by passengers to thwart a driver's effort at paying homage to these recalcitrant, greedy and insatiable police officers generates rude statements from them to the effect that as passengers, they would alight but they the drivers would be left to their fate next time they are confronted by them.

PARTISANSHIP
Governments may come and go but as indicated earlier on in this write up, since the E.R.T. Madjitey's era, there has never ever been a Police Administration that has been so fraught with political partisanship than the Paul Tawiah Quaye's unparalleled one. Quite apart from being naïve with political bias in favour of the government of the day, several instances that professional police performance should have been at play and exhibited but grossly ignored and glossed over were the bye-elections at Cherepone in the Northern Region where an active member of government fired live bullets to wound and maim opponents but thanks to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the world celebrated heart surgeon and cardiac expert who was there as a party observer to rush the wounded and maimed to Yendi Hospital for emergency surgery to remove the pellets/bullets to save their lives; the Akwatia dastard incident that had to do with just 6 polling station elections in the constituency culminating the marching off orders from the police to Hon. Dan Botwe to save his life and to calm nerves. Was that directive not stupid enough to have come from the police? Was it their duty to tell him that nonsense? Then the Atiwa bye election where Anita de Souza, the NDC National Women's Organizer, was alleged to have run over some opponents with her 4x4 vehicle; the Tain constituency elections to decide the winner for the 2008 General Elections when no clear cut winner had emerged after the round one, were glaring examples of police bias and complicity with partisanship when the NDC allegedly had invaded and ambushed both the entry and exit points. How long do we, as a country, have to wait in limbo and anxiety for the police to continue with their perpetual but simple investigations? Would it require the services of the Scotland Yard, the FBI or the KGB to assist with their investigations or not until thy kingdom come before the dockets could be arranged for the courts? Hmm. Furthermore, the daylight butchery and assassination of four political opponents at Agbobloshie under the nose of COP Rose Bio Atenga without a word till now clearly testifies and amplifies the notion and rumour that probably an ambassadorial or minis -terial position laid in wait for her in the unlikely event that the NDC won the crucial 2012 elections, hence the adamant stance of exhibiting deliberate non-performance to warrant quick promotion from DCOP to COP otherwise, very sane and clever person as she is would ever have the nerves to remain quiet over a vivid criminal case that ought to have been processed for the law courts a couple of years back. The mushroom cases involving the Opuni's Food and Drugs Board and Kinapharma Limited, Madam Semanhyia Herbal Products, Oheneba Ntim Barimah, Ernest Owusu Bempah and a couple others are just by-products of the police imbecile attitude towards the public to prove their positive assimilation of government clandestine machinations. To be continued from Part 2.

By: kofiappiah2002@yahoo.com

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