Uneasy calm over a female IGP?

There seems to be an uneasy calm among some junior officers of the Ghana Police Service over the choice of a woman as the substantive Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

Snippets of information gathered by Checkoutghana.com can relate how the junior personnel are unhappy about the unbaked decision of having a woman as IGP.

The junior personnel are threatening a massive demonstration across the regions, if the police council chaired by the Vice President gives legs to the rumours that have been making the rounds in the service since news about the end David Asante-Apeatu’s contract popped-up.

The current IGP is expected to retire in three months’ time and already there is news all over the choice of a woman is being considered as the next IGP.

However, the decision seems not to be going down well with the junior personnel of the service adding that such appointment will kill morale in the service.

”We all know that there are massive lobbying among the senior officers for the slot but we know the capabilities of all the people jostling for the slot”.

And we know who can help bring the name of the Police service to it past glory days’’ an officer name withheld said.

Already, there is intense lobbying underway in the high echelons of the Ghana Police Service, the Police Council and at the presidency over who succeeds the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu as his contract after retirement elapses in a couple of months.

The IGP somewhere last year was granted a two –year contract after reaching his compulsory retiring age of sixty in the service.

Credible reports have it the Police Council is considering letting the Akuapim- born IGP, embark on his accumulated leave prior to the end of his contract which is expected to end by the year 2020.

Some key ambitious actors have kick-started their machinery of lobbying the leadership of the current administration through prominent chiefs, powerful pastors and family persons

It is reported that some key political personalities and some senior journalists who are close to the ‘kitchen Cabinet of the president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo from the Eastern Region are also lobbying for their favourite candidate in the jostle to succeed the retiring Police chief.

Aside, the lobbying, this platform is reliably informed there are schemes gradually being rolled out by some key elements on the Police Council chaired by the Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia to have some junior officers promoted to the level of senior officers to make them eligible for the position of IGP.

Some junior officers in recent times had been promoted by the Council to the position of Commissioners of Police (COP) to enable them compete with their senior officers who are already in the race.

Reports corroborated by some service chiefs have it that some senior officers have been side-stepped in the succession plan for the appointment of a new IGP for the Police administration.

Sources say the lobbying for the replacement for the retiring IGP is led by some prominent chiefs from the Ashanti Region, a well-known media cabal in Accra and close family personalities.

A source further revealed that on a daily basis these lobbyists have been bombarding the president with text messages, calls and unannounced visits among others.

The lobbying this platform learned, have led to low morale among some senior officers who have had their junior officers promoted overnight, and have also joined the league of lobbyists for the topmost police position.

Lobbying for the position among others situations in the service have led to senior officers undoing each other all in an attempt to catch the eyes of the members on the Council and the president.

The alarming situations of undoing each other in the service has resulted in some senior officers committing blunders that have brought the reputation of the service to disrepute in the eyes of the general public.

The key names on the card for the position, being bandied about by the lobbyists on the corridors of power; the Jubilee House in Accra are the Director –General of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo Danquah, Nathan Kofi Boakye, Director–General of Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS), Ken Yeboah, Christian Tetteh Yohenu, Dr. George Akufo Dampare, James Oppong Boanuh, Deputy IGP among others.

Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah

She was promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police (COP) by the President in consultation with the Police Council on April 4, 2019 together with nineteen others.

Mrs. Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah(married) was recruited into the service on July 27, 1990 having risen through the ranks by dint of hard work and desire to achieve higher academic laurels.

Reports have it that her husband is a key ally of the president from the Akwapim area of the Eastern Region, the birthplace of the late mother of the president.

She has already indicated her preparedness to serve in that capacity if the president deemed it fit appointment her as the next IGP.

High Points

It is, however, believed that she is one of the fast rising senior female officers in the service

Her proponents are claiming she will be the first female IGP as part of the president’s believe to give more women the opportunity to serve in high public office.

Low Points

Her critics on the other hand in the service are of the view that she may not be the first ever IGP as Madam Elizabeth Mills-Robertson being a female served in that capacity as the Acting IGP in the administration of the late Prof John Evans Atta-Mills.

They contest that this will not a novelty because, if her appointment comes to fruition in the next few months come.

Her recent gaffes about the where abouts of the three Takoradi girls kidnapped by a Nigerian and the hullabaloo that erupted after a newspaper publication that the ‘girls have been rescued’ when they have not been rescued has become a dent on her reputation

Nathan Kofi Boakye

His name has come for the position and his lobbyists are powerful chiefs from the Ashanti Region.

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science trained officer that boldly takes the security fight to the doorsteps of the criminals.

Aside, the chiefs, reports have it that the loud-mouth New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyepong is a frantic supporter of the ‘Baokye for IGP 2020’ campaign.

The tough-talking law lecturer from the Ashanti Region is said to be enjoying media bliss in his quest to replace the retiring police chief.

Recently, the dinner held by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to climax this twentieth-anniversary celebration on the golden stool was a spectacle, as the powerful Ashanti chiefs were all over the president prevailing on him to consider the appointment of their son, Mr. Boakye.

The powerful media gatekeepers, Coffee Shop Mafia is also alleged not relent in the process of seeing one of their own as the IGP.

High Points

His high points are that he has the capacity to bring crime in the country in the run-up the 2020 general elections.

And ensure sanity in the president’s fight against political vigilantism during elections in the country.

Low Points

But, his critics are of the view that he had his time hobnobbing with the elements of the main opposition National Democratic Congress particularly the flag bearer and ex-president John Dramani Mahama.

His low points are his alleged involvement in the circumstances that led to the 77 missing parcel of Cocaine on the vessel MV Benjamin in 2007.

We will subsequently, catalogue the high and low points of all the aspirants in the race.