IGP’s 'number 1 police' target unrealistic – Security Expert

A security expert has described as unrealistic the target by the IGP to make the Ghana Police Service the best in Africa by 2020.

The Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu has set a 2020 target to make the country’s police service the best in Africa.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a training workshop for Public Affairs officers, the IGP added that the police service should rank within the first 20 officers in the world.

“The Ghana Police Service under my leadership is pursuing a robust transforming aimed at actualizing the vision of the service and that is to become a world class police service capable of delivering planned democratic, protective and peaceful service up to the standards of international best practices. In doing this it is my goal to position the Ghana Police Service as one of the best 10 police services in the world and the leading one in Africa,” the IGP said.

But the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Muktar described the IGP’s target as unachievable.

He said, “We still have serious challenges of security or policing here in Ghana… one of the main characteristics of active police force is visibility. We are still struggling to meet the UN target of one-police officer-to-500 people. If you could not meet that target what are the fundamental factors, what are the indicators that point to the fact that we can achieve this ambitious target of being the best police force in Africa.”