Colonel Festus Aboagye (retired), a security analyst wants the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to be the sole preserve of the Police Council.

The IGP is appointed by the President of Ghana in accordance with the constitution.

The police on Tuesday (8 March) announced they have killed two officers and arrested four others linked with bullion van robberies in the country. The development has since sparked a new debate about the mode of recruitment and political interference in the recruitment process of officers into the security agencies.

Touching on the development, Aboagye suggested the constitution must be amended to give the Police Council the mandate to appoint the IGP.

“My point is that, there needs to be an amendment of the constitution to stop the President from picking the IGP; leave it to the Police Council,” Aboagye told Asaase News.

“It will be only human for an IGP to feel reluctant to speak the truth to the power that appointed them. It takes a true professional to speak such truth. There is no doubt that one of the excesses of the 1992 constitution is the President of our country appointing the IGP,” he said. 

Four police officers, civilian charged and remanded

The circuit court in Accra on Wednesday (9 March) remanded into police custody four police officers and a civilian arrested recently in connection with bullion van robberies in Ghana.

Their plea for bail was not taken after it was opposed by the prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, who argued that the Police Service is still carrying out investigations into the case and will require the assistance of the five accused.

Of the five suspects, two – Albert Ofosu and Affisu Yaro Ibrahim – have been charged with attempt to commit crime and robbery. The others – Richard Boadu, Razak Alhassan and Rabiu Jambedu – have been charged with abetment of crime and robbery.

The five were picked up at a hideout after a police intelligence-led raid at Borteyman near Ashaiman on Tuesday 8 March.

The case has been adjourned to Monday 28 March 2022.

Fred Dzakpata