Dr. Sarah Aba-Afari
Growing up in Hohoe, in a home that shared a wall with the Police Barracks, Aba always found the Police uniform spell binding and alluring. She will spend time admiring the smartly dressed female police officers as she makes her way to school or run errands.
She will cut out pictures of 'wanted criminals' published in the newspapers pledging to assist the Police arrest the suspected criminals. What started off as a fantasy, received a breath of life when she opened up to the father about her interest to become a police officer someday. Her father never dismissed this interest but supported and urged her on.
Indeed, what will be will be (Que sera sera) as fate would have it. Her long wait came to an end as she had to leave the teacher training college in her first year upon receiving a call for enlistment into Ghana Police Service.
Chief Superintendent Dr. Sarah Aba-Afari, through hard work and resilience ,has risen from the rank of a Constable to a Chief Superintendent of Police over the decades. Though the journey has obviously not been easy most of the time, she has smiled through it all comforted by a strong faith in God.
She is one of the best investigators in Ghana and stands out in her approach to work. Infact the saying, "you can hide your identity but you can't hide who you are" is not far from right. Even as this distinguished African is modest about her achievements and mostly self effaced, she has come to be known as "The Problem Solver" on her job. She has assisted and collaborated with major players such as the US Embassy, Accra in ground breaking investigations.
She has been unrelenting in developing and educating herself and became the first female Police officer in Ghana and the whole of Africa to be awarded a PhD, in 2017 making her country and Ghana Police Service proud.
In 2021, Resila Atieno Onyango also became the first female police PhD Holder in Kenya even though the Kenyan Police Service has been in existence for over 100 years.
With a great passion for her job and love for her country, Chief Supt. Dr. Sarah Aba-Afari has become a problem solver in every capacity as a police officer. She has by far worked with the UN in Europe and Africa. She is a Counselor and an Art Therapy Expert with a big heart that throbs for Gender Issues and Human Trafficking.
The KNUST alumna and former student of Hohoe E.P. Senior High School is married and a mother of two. As she continues to serve her country, she is of the view that the police is a friend to all and Ghana Police is one of the best in the world.
Visibly, the quality of the police in terms of professionalism in Ghana has greatly improved. This may be attributed to the fact that a lot of Police Officers are acquiring higher education aided by an enabling environment. Even though Ghanaians are peace loving, I think, the enviable peace we enjoy is also because of an empowered and hardworking police service.
