The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the leadership of the Ghana Police Service to take deliberate steps to safeguard the integrity of the law enforcement agency and ensure its political neutrality.
He made the call on Tuesday, January 6, during a courtesy visit to the Police Headquarters in Accra, where he met the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and senior officers of the police institution.
Addressing the gathering, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said restoring and sustaining public trust in the police must remain a priority, stressing the need for firm action on issues that undermine the credibility of the institution.
“As we embark on this journey together, we will urge you, IGP, and your devoted colleagues to seriously tackle issues affecting police integrity and public trust,” he said.
The Asantehene noted that the values instilled in officers may need to be reinforced to make clear the consequences of conduct that compromises the image of the Service.
“It may as well be necessary to reinforce or upscale the values you instil in your men, so they are left in no doubt that whatever they do which compromises the integrity of the police also compromises the uniform and the coat of arms they bear,” he stated.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II placed particular emphasis on the need for the Police Service to remain independent of partisan politics, describing political neutrality as central to effective law enforcement.
“I also hope that you work towards making the Police Service politically neutral,” he said.
He acknowledged the constitutional role of the police in serving the government of the day but cautioned against any blurring of lines between the state and political parties.
“There will always be one government responsible for the state of Ghana, and as the police service of the state, you have sworn to be unalloyed in your loyalty to the government,” he noted.
“But there must be a line drawn between the government and the political party, and I believe both the government and the Service will find it in their common interest for the police to be manifestly pursuing law enforcement with bias towards none, without fear or favour or affliction,” the Asantehene added.
He expressed confidence in the capacity of the Police Service to meet the challenges ahead, urging officers to remain united and committed to the institution’s growth.
“When I survey the galaxy of agile men and women assembled before me today, I am filled with confidence that you are up to any challenge that the year may throw up, and I encourage you to stick together in continuous dedication to the upliftment of the Service,” Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said.
The visit formed part of broader engagements between traditional leadership and state institutions, focusing on accountability, professionalism and the role of the police in a democratic society.
It would be recalled that COP George Alex Mensah (retired), a former senior police officer who was implicated in a plot to oust former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, had alleged that some police officers have affiliations with either the New Patriotic Party (NPP) or the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
COP Mensah made the claim when he appeared before an ad hoc parliamentary committee probing the issue at the time on Friday, September 1, 2023.
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