Policemen have only received their election duty allowances and not bribes - IGP

The Police Administration on Monday debunked assertions being peddled in some social media circles and by former President John Dramani Mahama, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, that officers were being given handouts in the form of cash to vote for the governing New Patriotic Party.

James Oppong Boanuh, Inspector General of Police, stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, that these assertions are palpably false and unfounded.

He explained that the monies given to the officers were their election duty allowances which hitherto were paid after the officers have finished their election assignment, which sometimes affect the morale of these officers in the performance of this special national duty.

He said unlike previous times those monies were now being paid directly into the account of the officer, instead of on table tops which could be subject to abuse and other short changes.

He said the monies were basically Ghc100 a day for five days and that the extra Ghc100 which made up the total of Ghc600 was intended for the officers to use to sew their uniforms which had been distributed to the men, but were not sewn due to the consignment of uniforms arriving late, making it impossible for tailors of the Service to sew it for the personnel.

He said all officers were expected to, without any excuse, be in the traditional Police uniforms.

He said the monies being given to the men were a routine duty allowance and not what some people in certain quarters are alleging and that there was a similar disbursement during the covid- 19 lockdown.