Already suffering from credibility crisis, Gina Blay and her Daily Guide newspaper, once again have been exposed in their avowed stance to sow seed of discord among the rank and file of the Ghana Police Service.
Virtually throwing the ethics of the journalism practice to the dogs, the Daily Guide, without cross-checking its facts, decided to put the police service in the spotlight with no justification, an act, in which they sought to create the impression that something untoward has taken place in the service.
Being the warren of lies, the paper on Thursday 10th May 2012, made a publication with a screaming headline “Shake-UP In The Police Service”, claiming that the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP/Mr. Patrick Timbillah has been re-posted to head the police workshop in Accra, when, indeed, no such changes have been made by the Police administration
A release from the Police Public Affairs Directorate, duly singed by the Acting Director, DSP Cephas Arthur, states that, the information churned out by the Daily Guide was completely false and has no merit. “It must be emphasized that the issues raised in the story are not true. There is no move to re-post the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP/Mr. Patrick Timbillah, who until recently was the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, anywhere”, the police pointed out.
“The Police Service is a professional institution whose activities are not dictated or determined by politics or political bigwigs. Moving of Police officers around is a routine administrative process, which must not be misconstrued for any ulterior motive”, the release explained.
The Police Administration also corrected allegations that the Director-General of Police Administration, COP/Mrs. Rose Bio Atinga did suspend the distribution of any one thousand (1000) vehicles acquired for policing as false.
According to the Police, even though government has promised to resource the Service with some vehicles, it must be emphasized that the Administration has not taken delivery of one thousand (1000) vehicles as speculated.
“What, therefore, was being done is a distribution plan on paper in preparation for the arrival of the vehicles. It is, therefore, wrong for anyone to draw a link between distribution plan for Service vehicles and the sickness of an officer’s child”, the police added.
With the issue of motor-check, the police pointed out that it is purely administrative policy and not an individual affair and stated that it is a proactive and citizen-focused institution, which from time to time is revised, taking into consideration the concerns of the public that it serves.
According to them, it could, therefore, not be COP/Mrs. Rose Bio Atinga taking office and waving her magic wand, and stopping motor-check.
“It is about time the Police Service was left alone to concentrate on its work, rather than being embroiled in politics. Politics is for the politicians, whilst the Police are mandated to render services to the public”, they demand
Police, however, warn all faceless and destructive individuals and institutions who are pursuing a hidden agenda to tarnish the image of the Service in an attempt to discredit and destroy its good name, to desist from such acts and must also be warned to tread carefully in order not to infringe upon any criminal law or individual rights of reputable officers.
They also assured the general public that the Police would not be discouraged by some of these distractions, but ‘will focus on our mandate of providing security for our countrymen and women’.
It would be recalled that the Daily Guide newspaper has continually suffered serious backlash in its reportage ever since the NPP left power, having decided to unwisely champion the coming back of the NPP to power, even when it is explicit that they are embarking on a completely fruitless venture.
