A new Council for the Ghana Police chaired by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has been sworn into office to among other things, work towards reversing the widely held perception that the Police Service is corrupt.
“The citizenry can only have confidence in the Police Service when they are seen to be honest and would enforce the law without fear or favour. Your task during your term of office is to ensure that this perception no longer holds,” President Nana Akufo-Addo told the Council
The Council, established by Article 203 of the Constitution, includes the Interior Minister, the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police, and would make regulations that would ensure the effective and efficient police administration.
The Council is mandated to advise the President on matters of policy relating to internal security, including the role of the Police Service, budgeting and finance, administration and the promotion of officers above the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Swearing the members into office Thursday, President Nana Akufo-Addo said he would count on the Council “to give me strong, independent advice in the maintenance of law and order in the country.”
He said the most important thing for every nation is peace and safety of its people, and its territorial integrity.
It is when these are guaranteed, he stressed, that citizens can go about their lives in security, and hope to improve upon the quality of their circumstances.
“We all sleep, feeling safe, when the men and women of the Police Service work to keep our nation and our streets safe. The issue of law and order is particularly germane at this time when indiscipline, lawlessness and outbreaks of mob justice are threatening the rule of law.
“The Executive is determined to work with the Police Service to guarantee the security of citizens in accordance with the rule of law,” he assured.
Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his commitment to adequately resource the Police for it to continue to maintain law and order and protect lives and property, in line with the NPP’s pledge in its 2016 Manifesto.
He revealed his government will improve the accommodation needs of the Police, build two new police hospitals at Sunyani and Bolgatanga to serve their health needs, as well as build two new police training schools.
These, he said, would improve the quality of the Police Service and the welfare of its personnel.
President also noted it is in everybody’s interest that the Police Service retains the neutrality and professionalism guaranteed under the Constitution.
“Governments have term limits, and in a multi-party democracy, parties win and lose power. It is good for the health of the nation that this is so, and this is why the Police Service should not tie its well-being or otherwise to the fortunes of the ruling party of the day,” he said
He added: “we must ensure that the Police Service is left to focus on its core mandate, and not be an appendage of the ruling party. I envisage a Police Service that goes about its duty of protecting ordinary citizens confident that there will be no interference from the powers that be.”
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