Professor Ransford Gyampo, an associate professor in the political science department of the University of Ghana has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, to retire immediately.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the president, confirmed Oppong-Boanuh as the substantive IGP with a two-year contract extension in October 2019 .
The police chief has come under serious public backlash over the state of insecurity in some parts of the country – the recent being a bullion van attack in broad daylight.
Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday 18 June 2021, Prof Gyampo said the IGP must make way for a fresh blood before his contract expires.
“I am asking the IGP to retire,” Gyampo said.
Prof Gyampo said the continuous stay of a retired IGP in office could demoralise the rank and file of the Ghana Police Service.
He added: “I think that we should begin to move away from the kind of things that we do that undermines institutional morale. The practice of allowing people to stay on when they’ve reached retiring age while you’ve others who can takeover is a disincentive to hard work.”
According to him, the state of insecurity in certain parts of the country could have been “deliberately orchestrated” by some of the officers “just to send a certain message.”
IGP: We’re not in heaven
Meanwhile, the IGP has hit back at those saying he is out of touch with latest security strategies following the bullion van attack in the capital, Accra.
“We are doing what we can to protect the people of Ghana. There is no society in the world where there is no crime. Even in the USA, UK and Sweden, where they, more or less have everything, they still have crime. The only place that doesn’t have crime is heaven and we are not in heaven,” Oppong-Boanuh told the media after visiting the family of the officer who was shot in the bullion van attack.
“So, if any so-called security analyst is saying that we are not on top of our game and that’s why these things are happening, he does not know what he is talking about,” he added.
Gyampo said Oppong-Boanuh’s response was “unfortunate and I think it was against the sensibility of the family. We know we’re not in heaven.”
Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#AsaaseRadio
#TheVoiceofOurLand
#GreenGhana
#WeLoveOurLand
