Let the Lip-Service and 9-day wonder syndrome be a thing of the
past
- Ghana Police
by Samuel Donkor
Once upon a time, before the ousted of the first Republic, the Ghana Police
service was noted for discipline, high moral and ethical standards,and rated the
best in sub-saharan Africa, is today a demoralised service, plagued with
indiscipline, low morals, corruption and many other negative actions that go to
soil the image of the service and had lost the confidence of the people.
All this has come about, because of the total neglect of the service for many
years to the lowest level by previous administrations since 1966, including the
NDC era.
During this administration, even though the Police Service lacked 85% inputs,
coupled with low standards and morals, indiscipline and corruption, the
administration made efforts to instill discipline, initiated measures to raise
standards and boost morals to raise the image, but all these efforts became a
9-day wonder syndrome, which could not be sustained and died away, leaving the
service to sink slowly.
The previous NPP administration also initiated measures to equip and update the
service during its term, but was not enough. More needs to be done during this
time due to the enormous needs of the service.
The recent declaration by the Police authority and government to raise the
standard and image of the service as early as possible, despite constrains in
equipments and material support and other factors, while awaiting government's
immediate actions on inputs and materials to support , is a welcome news to the
people.
I write you the truth; No matter how much inputs of equipments and training that
are given to the service, it will not achieve the expected results, if the
personnel do not change their dubious characters and negative attitudes, human
rights abuse and corrupt practices. These negative attitudes and unprofessional
conducts are legacies of 34 years unconstitutional and autocratic rule and
neglect.
It is many years now, since the public lost confidence in the service,
especially their corrupt attitudes and brutalities towards victims and
complainants during the course of their work. False allegations, distortion of
informations, extortions and manhandling of less priveledged and not well to do
complainants and suspects, has for many years been the unofficial order and
practice of the Police service.
The most inhumane acts and practices detested and complaints made by the public,
is the dirty slapings and kickings meted out to suspects who dared questioned
their arrest or asked for their right to know. Human rights abuses is very
common in our police stations all over the country.The use of the police by the
rich, cronies,and priveledged in the society to maltreat and abuse innocent
ordinary people's right is another matter.
The people of Ghana therefore hope and trust that, the vision envisaged in the
police administration's programs and plans to instill discipline, efficiency,
professionalism and also raise standards to recapture the past glorious image of
the service is welcome,but pray that it never again becomes another 9-day wonder
syndrome or lip-service, now that the present government has resolved to equip
and raise the image of the service as also promised during it's campaign to
power. The people have heard many such promises,over and over before, without
any fufillment
In reality, for many years now, the rule of law has eluded Ghanaians and the
Ghana police had been a thorn in the flesh of the citizenry. It had failed where
it should had helped. It failed to protect the ordinary citizen, where it was
needed most and rather helped to perverse justice, protecting only the rich and
priveledged.
I write you the truth, the major factor to a successful police service is a
cordial relationship with the people in the communities individually and
communually and the confidence of the people in the service depending on
approach and human relation, which our personnel lack. Instead of serving the
people as public servants, they rather lord themselves over the people and
scaring would be informants.
We wish the government and the police administration successes in their efforts
to raise the image of the service and bring it to a human face and international
standard once more.
I write you the truth; 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians6:7 .
This subject was once dealt with on 27th/01/03
Samuel Donkor mob: 0242 809352
