Police service advised to check background of recruits
The Police Administration has been urged to conduct thorough background checks on applicants before recruiting them to avoid incidents of robbery and criminal activities involving police personnel.
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Preaching at the induction ceremony for the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr John Kudalor, at the Ghana Police Interdenominational Church in Accra yesterday, the Director of Religious Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Very Rev. Fr George Arthur, said police personnel were to be respected, valued and not feared.
He said the recent incidents of robbery committed by police personnel were a wake-up call to the service that all was not well.
Urging the IGP to help restore the image and pride of the Police Service, Rev. Fr Arthur said background checks on applicants were necessary to avoid the recurrence of recent unfortunate incidents.
He reminded the Police Service that it was responsible and accountable to the nation in terms of security and advised the IGP to lead the charge in guaranteeing the security of all members of the public.
Elections
Turning to politicians, Rev. Fr Arthur said Ghana was not the property of any politician and for that reason everyone was duty bound to work towards a peaceful election campaign, leading up to the December 7, 2016 polls.
Rev. Fr Arthur noted that politicians who resorted to insults did not have any message for the citizenry and clung on to insults because they feared defeat.
The man of God said there could not be peaceful elections when citizens prayed for peace but politicians sow seeds of discord as well as used derogatory words in their campaigning.
He accordingly appealed to all politicians to be circumspect and calculated in their utterances during the campaign season.
“Our forefathers have already shed the blood for our freedom. There is no need to shed blood in the name of politics,” Rev. Fr Arthur stressed.
IGP’s speech
The IGP addressed the packed church after his induction ceremony, which was performed by the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Right Rev. Dr Seth Senyo Agidi.
Mr Kudalor said he was honoured and humbled to be the 30th IGP, noting that “as a devout Christian, I consider it a call by the creator and sustainer of the universe, the almighty God, to serve as a labourer in His vineyard.”
He accordingly thanked the government and people of Ghana for reposing such confidence in him and pledged to serve Ghanaians to the best of his ability.
Since being appointed in November 2015, the IGP said he had, among other innovations, instituted a number of initiatives, including an open door policy, where officers of the service could circumvent the chain of command by walking straight to his office to seek his audience, as well as make contributions for the development of the service.
Mr Kudalor assured the public that the Police Service had made adequate preparation for the upcoming general election and was committed to ensuring peace during the polls.
Unprofessional conduct
On police personnel who misconducted themselves, Mr Kudalor said the police administration would not shield the culprits in line with the public confidence re-affirmation programme launched in 2014 to check unprofessional conduct of personnel.
He saluted decent, hardworking, brave and loyal police officers and said it was his desire to leave behind “a high quality professional Police Service that is valued and commands the trust and confidence of the citizenry.”
Promotion
Mr Kudalor announced that the police officers who arrested their colleagues for engaging in robbery at Donkorkrom had been promoted.
They are Sergeant Sulleymana Abubakari, who has been promoted to the rank of Inspector; Constable K. Gabienu, promoted to Lance Corporal; Constable Eric Wegbo, promoted to Lance Coporal while the police officer in charge of the bullion van (escort), Constable Frederick Addae, has been promoted to a Corporal.
