Dr Baafour Agyeman-Duah, Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy Development (CDD) on Tuesday criticised the mode of appointing Police Chiefs in the country. “The situation where officers are appointed few years or months to their retiring age does not augur well for long term planning for an institution like the Police Service,” he noted.
Dr Agyeman-Duah in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency said at the least an Inspector General of Police should upon appointment have five years to work for the service before retirement. He said the government should be careful not to give responsibilities to people, who did not have the capability to plan adequately to renew and revitalise such sensitive institutions.
“Internal security chiefs should have the presence of mind to create new programmes and implement long term strategies,” he asserted. He, however, noted that even though the official retirement age was 60, the notion that when one reached that age one must definitely go on retirement was neither here nor there. “People do not necessarily lose their capabilities at 60, the intellect and energies must all be considered as well.” The 1992 Constitution is very clear on the retiring age for public servants, however.
Dr Agyeman-Duah said, even though, there might be guidelines for selecting the Police Chiefs these had not been followed unlike in the universities where appointments were made after interviews to ascertain the capabilities of the officers. Investigations by the GNA have revealed that Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku, current Police Chief would soon begin his leave prior to retirement while most of those at the Commissioner level would also follow suit.
Among the 12 Deputy Commissioners, Nana Owusu-Nsiah, Director of the Ghana Immigration Service, an accounts personnel and Mr Kwesi Nkansah, Director in charge of Administration have two years prior to retirement. Senior Officers have 126 days leave prior to retirement.
Mr Jossie Amofa, Acting Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has barely three years to retire likewise Mr Richard Safo Kwarteng, Deputy Commissioner in Charge of Operations. Dr Kofi Kesse Manfo, Mr Paul Quaye and Selwyn Bart Mettle, all Deputy- Commissioners, whose names have appeared in part of the media as possible successors to the IGP had their first appointment in 1979 and they have many seniors, who were appointed long before them.
Source: GhanaWeb
