Promotion of 2745 Police Officers leaves Speculations and Suspicions of Vote-Buying

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh, yesterday on the orders of President Akufo-Addo, made some massive promotions in the history of the Ghana Police Service, leaving many officers, suspicious about the timing and motive.

In all 2745 officers, were promoted according to a signal sent out by the IGP, but there are reports some senior officers, will also be promoted from Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

Some even believe, the promotion is to entice the Police officers, their spouses and other dependents to vote for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in next week’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections, scheduled for Monday, December 7, 2020.

The promotions is being politicized, because, although the promotions were expected by the police officers who by their regulations, had been on their current ranks for four years, the IGP on the orders of the government, backdated the promotions of the junior ranks to take effect from December 1, 2020; a month ahead of time.

All the officers promoted in 2016, had their promotions on January 1, 2017,and were due for promotion effective January 1, 2021, but yesterday’s announcement per signals signed by the IGP, suggest the promotions is being rushed, and this has left room for suspicion and speculation among the officers.

Promotions benefited the ranks of Corporals to Sergeants, Sergeants to Inspectors and Inspectors to Chief Inspectors.

Insiders have told The Herald that, Lance Corporal to Corporal and Constables to Lance Corporals are also due for promotions, whilst Chief Superintendents are supposed to be promoted to Assistant Commissioners of Police.

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One of the internal memos this paper has sighted, said the Administrative Promotion of those who were promoted on or before 1st January 2017, and have satisfied the provisions in regulations 37 of the Police Service regulations 2012, CI 76 are promoted to the rank of Inspector with effect from 1st December 2020.

The promotions come just few days after the government, increased the salaries of the Police Officers.

It’s not clear, how long the issue of the promotions ahead of the schedule date had been on the discussion table awaiting approval, but many officers, feel the massive promotion and salary increments are part of the election week inducements.

Some also see the appointments as a panic reaction to reports that the exit polls on the Special Voting exercise on Tuesday by some of the security agencies, did not look good for the government, hence the sudden promotions.

One officer The Herald spoke to said “with their respective service numbers, they’re due for the promotions, but the timing and backdating of the promotion, will be politicized no matter what”.

Source: theheraldghana.com