The writer of IGP’S Comment Revealing Got It Wrong

When my attention was drawn to an article with the headline “IGP’S comment revealing” written by Mark Mawutor Kofi Logo a retired assistant carried in page 10 of Daily Graphic of Monday, December 17, 2018, I could not hesitate to share my opinion on the matter.

First i am not convinced that Mr. Kofi Logo’s assertion that public servants complaint of undue political interference in the performance of their functions has been confirmed by the IGP.

In that article Mr. Kofi Logo made reference to same Daily Graphic’s 29th of December ,2018 edition saying the IGP is reported to have revealed that reshuffling of police commissioners in the service was done solely by the Police Council headed by the Vice President in consultation with the President.

This, the writer finds revealing and intriguing that the transfer of Police Commissioners is made at the instance of Police Council with approval of the president.

I am therefore surprised about the writer’s view on this statement of fact only echoed by the Chief Constable of the Ghana Police Service.

I find it equally interesting to note from the writer that he is not aware that the information about Police Council with regards to appointment and promotion of senior police officers including commissioners is available in the public domain at least since 1992.

For the writer to say it was revealed by the IGP to him just some few months past leaves much to be desired.

Any way for avoidance of doubts I wish to once again state afresh to the writer that police council’s role in reshuffling of police commissioners cannot be attributed to the current IGP as the first person to declare as such since is a constitutional matter.

In fact the writer’s attempt to find out that if the explanation given to the matter by the IGP was the same in the case of the Ghana Armed Forces and other state institutions, to me shows that he got something fundamentally wrong with the explanation long before he wrote if only he was not motivated by any other reason.

This is because the police and the armed forces are established by two clear articles in the constitution of Ghana as the article 200 of the 1992 constitution makes provision for the establishment of the Ghana police service and how it must function.

I think the writer will be in a better position to interrogate the matter dispassionately if he also glances through act of parliament 350 of 1970.

In fact provision in the constitution for police service differs from that of armed forces and other institutions so he should not expect same in other institution.

I therefore can’t agree with him that the general public disbelieve of public servants complaints of undue political interference in their performance has been confirmed by the IGP in his explanation to the reshuffling of police commissioners.

in fact the explanation by the IGP that postings at that level is done in consultation with police council can’t even pass as IGP’S opinion and therefore as a link to him confirming politicization of governments influence on state institutions as far as article 200 of the 1992 constitution of the republic of Ghana and act of parliament 350 of 1970 is in full force.

If the writer needs anyone to confirm that it should be the two documents I have presented to him and not the Inspector General of Police. Better still he could seek clarification from parliament of Ghana or the supreme court of Ghana.

It’s at this point that I again express my disagreement with, Mawutor Logo and wishes to say that even if that statement is categorically from the IGP, it did not in any way suggest his confirmation of the perception he holds. I think that inferences do not suffice in this case.

asking whether the IGP couldn’t have determine who of the commissioners could serve better in which position is a nonstarter as latest document on policing i.e. constitutional instruments 76 clearly shows that appointments of the commissioners was done in consultation with police council with approval from president .

To me the IGPS has not confirmed any public servants position with regard to the above matter.

David Fianko-Okyere
Community Two,Tema
[email protected]