University lecturer plays down demands for IGP’s resignation

A lecturer at the University of Ghana has played down demands for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police and the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander.

Irate youth of the Kotobabi suburb of Accra demanded the resignations following the shooting to death of young man in the community who was supposedly mistaken for an armed robber.

But Dr. Raymond Atugubah, who has conducted several research studies on the police, says nothing will change if the IGP resigns. He told JOY NEWS that structural problems within the police service should be resolved first.

“ The police are operating under a lot of constraints and as much as we criticize the issue, understand how the police officer is feeling understand the squad rules, under the operating orders that they have to obey, the pain and punishment and so forth so blaming the police man is not the solution.

“Blaming the system, in which the police man is called upon to operate, I think is the right thing to do. The mistakes will continue to occur unless the structural issues are dealt with, he said”.

Dr. Atugubah says the police council should live up to its constitutional responsibilities and develop mechanisms for reforming the service.

“You should look at both the provisional constitution and various acts that govern the police”.

“I think the police counsel was expected by the constitution to engage in the process of reforming the police, that hasn't happened because the constitution is not in force”, he said.