Security Analyst, Emmanuel Sowatey, has said the trend where police officers who have reached their retirement age are given contract extensions to often higher positions as if there were no competent young officers, has the potential of affecting the confidence of equally competent and younger officers.
According to him, police officers generally aspire to rise in the service, hence denying them such opportunities demoralizes them.
Speaking on Citi TV’s major news bulletin, CitiNewsroom on Wednesday, he explained that the commitment and enthusiasm of police officers could be affected if retired officers are recalled to the service to hold higher positions.
He thus called for reforms to ensure that top officials in the Service as well as government officials, do not use their authority to discriminate unnecessarily against junior officers.
“Generally, officers want to rise up and it is a form of motivation. Usually, when they don’t have the opportunity to be promoted, it kills zeal, initiative, creativity, commitment and enthusiasm, but having said this, as Ghana develops long term not only in the police but even academia and other public sectors, as we develop technology and science the life expectancy might go up, and I am talking about a decade from now, and we must start to see how we balance the youth and creating opportunities for them to have their own who are coming and make sure we don’t discriminate unnecessarily”.
Mr. Sowatey also called for reforms within the various security agencies to curb the trend of extending the contract of retired officers.
“But generally, we should have a good succession plan and avoid the almost recurrent phenomenon of appointing retired officers.”
Touching on whether Police appointments to top positions are done based on political affiliations, Mr. Emmanuel Sowatey said “I am being careful because sometimes there are necessary conditions, but they are not sufficient and no matter how bad the politicians are, they will look at some basic competence.”
He however added that, “It does not mean that people [police officers] who have risen to certain positions is always due to political affiliations.”
Akufo-Addo grants retired deputy IGP 1-year contract
President Akufo-Addo has approved a one-year contract extension for retired Commissioner of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh.
COP Oppong-Boanuh, who was appointed as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police only two weeks ago prior to his 60th birthday, was granted the extension in a letter signed by the secretary to the president, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
Citi News sources within the police service say he personally requested for an extension of his contract through the Interior Ministry, to enable him assist the IGP , although this is not the normal practice in the service.
The letter said;
“With reference to your letter dated 17th September, 2018, and a Memo dated 3rd October, 2018, from the Minister for the Interior on the subject matter above. I am pleased to inform you that the President of the Republic has granted you a one-year contract service as Deputy Director-General of the Police effective 8th October, 2018 to 7th October, 2019.”
Two ‘retired’ police bosses lead the service
This development leaves Ghana with two of its top police officials being on contract after their retirement.
The current Inspector General of Police, David Asante Appeatu, who was due for retirement on August 14, 2017, was granted a 2-year contract by President Akufo-Addo last year.
What this new contract extension means is that, the two top officers are likely to retire within the same period in 2019.
What the law says about appointing retired officers?
An expert on Crime, Security and Governance with the Center for Cybersecurity and Crime Prevention (CCCP), Dr. Emmanuel Mensah, argues that, the framers of the 1992 constitution “appreciate the value of smart, experienced brains” for which they made room for a contract extension in order for the country to “have the full benefit of the experience of these top officers. It is done everywhere in the world and not unique to Ghana”.
Quoting Article 199 Clause 4 of the 1992 Constitution, he said the President has the prerogative to extend the service of a public officer on reaching the retirement age of 60 years, and COP Oppong Boanuh’s contract extension is timely and good for the Ghana Police Service.
He explained further: “Clause 4 of the amended Act says that “Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article, a public officer, who has retired from the public service after attaining the age of 60 years, may, where the exigencies of the service require, be engaged for a limited period of not more than two years at a time but not exceeding five years in all and upon such other terms and conditions as the appointing authority shall determine.
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By: Jude Mensa Duncan/citinewsroom.com/Ghana