Akufo-Addo retires IGP in ten days

Tension is mounting within the Ghana Police Service, as to who replaces the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, who is expected to proceed on retirement in eleven days from today, having attained the mandatory retiring age of 60.

On August 15, 2017, the ballistic and forensic expert leaves office as the 28th person to hold the position of IGP, but the 22nd Ghanaian to do so, and already, his subordinates, are jostling for the position by struggling to catch the attention of President Akufo-Addo to replace the highly modest Mr. Asante-Apeatu.

What is bizarre in the ongoing schemes and tactics by some elements within the police hierarchy is the use of the US$510 million Ameri Energy Project by the boss of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bright Oduro, to prove what he is capable of doing for the Akufo-Addo government with his political opponents when given the police topmost job.

The Herald is informed by multiple sources, including Flagstaff House and police insiders that the President, has decided not to extend Mr. Asante-Apeatu’s stay in office with a contract offer.

Contracts were commonplace under late President John Evans Atta Mills and his successor; John Dramani Mahama, and this saw Paul Tawiah Quaye, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan and John Kudalor respectively, staying in office for some years, attracting resentment towards the respective regimes.

But chief among argument against Mr. Asante-Apeatu’s continuous stay is that, the Police hierarchy recently sent home some respected senior officers; COP Frank Adu Poku, Director General Technical at age 60, hence, it will be unconscionable to keep the IGP in office with a contract.

The attempt to catch Flagstaff House’s eye, has therefore, led to raids in the homes of Members of Parliament (MP) and appointees of the Mahama administration by the Police CID with a court warrant bearing the name of the Director-General of the Police CID, but not a judge.

Many of the Mahama appointees, who were shown the document, insisted they only saw Mr. Bright Oduro’s name and could not find any judge’s name on it.

The appointees include; ex-Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor, Energy Consultant, Francis Dzata, ex-Deputy Energy Minister, John Jinapor, ex-Deputy Minister of Justice, Dominic Ayine and former Chief Executive Officer of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Kirk Coffie.

Interestingly, the appointees have been charge with the criminal offense of causing financial lost to the state, although they were yet to be interrogated and caution statements taken from them.

They were also yet to see their charge sheet, but the court warrant had demanded they hand over the computers, pen drives and mobile phones to the CID team.

Those who have responded to the CID invitation, have had to spend some time with the Deputy CID boss, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Danquah, ACP Peter Gyimah, Chief Superintendent, Frederick Adjei, Supt Regina Sakordie, DSP Ebenezer Nketiah, DSP Dzamtse, ASP Nana Oppong and Chief Inspector, Charles Adaba.

The Flagstaff House, National Security Secretariat and Ministry of Energy, have separately denied setting the Police on the Mahama appointees to seize their personal belongings in search of documents on the Ameri Project.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bright Oduro, a former Crime Officer at the Accra Regional Command, is said not to be popular among the rank and file of the police service, and might not have the support of his men, if made IGP.

Currently, there are issues of regional balance in the Police Service. Mr. Asante-Apeatu is from the Eastern Region, Bright is from Begoro also in the Eastern Region, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Danquah is from Eastern and the affable Director of Police Operations, COP/Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, is also from the Eastern Region, and many are of the opinion that the next IGP, must come from another region.