Regional Minister sacks police commander

Northern Regional Minister, Hon Stephen Sumani Nayina, says he and the other members of the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) do not want the presence of the Northern Regional Commander of Police, DCOP Ofosu Mensah Gyeabour on the council anymore.

The regional Minister is of the opinion that the Police Commander cannot be trusted with delicate security information and thus does not deserve to be on the Council.

Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, the regional Minister confirmed newspaper reports that he had walked DCOP Mensah- Gyeabour out of a Regional Security Council meeting on Tuesday April 14 for leaking intelligence information to the media.

It is alleged that the DCOP Mensah-Gyeabour last month informed the media about some decisions the REGSEC had taken to extend a one-month moratorium given all residents of Tamale to surrender their weapons.

The REGSEC was scheduled to address a press conference to make the announcement about the developments but the Regional Police Commander leaked the information to the press a day before the press conference was to take place.

Reports indicate that the Police Commander, who humbly saluted and bowed out of the REGSEC meeting, apologised for his conduct in due course.

Crime officer for the Northern Region, Peter Baba Atianak replaced him at the meeting.

The Regional Minister however said in the interview on the Citi Breakfast Show that his action was taken in the interest of the peace of the area.

Mr Nayina said the action of the Police Chief was inexcusable because all security personnel in the region are aware of the delicate nature of security matters in the area and as such were expected to be circumspect in the manner they dealt with them.

According to him he had sent information to the National Police Command about the conduct of DCOP Mensah-Gyeabour and had notified them that the Northern REGSEC had concluded they could no longer work with him.

Though not stating categorically that he wanted DCOP Mensah Gyeabour out of office, Hon. S.S. Nayina said “if he thinks he can be Regional Commander and not attend council meetings then it’s up to him”.

Attempts by Citi News to reach the Northern Regional Commander of Police, DCOP Ofosu Mensah Gyeabour for his comments on the matter have proved futile.

Retired Army Officer, Capt Joel Kwami Sowu (retd) however tells Citi News in an interview that the Minister did not have the power to walk the Police Commander out of the meeting and describes the action as gross disrespect and an affront to the ethics of the security service.

He said disgracing the Police Commander in the presence of junior officers without consideration for his long years in the service and disrespecting the due process in dealing with such matters, was unfortunate.

Capt Sowu (retd) noted that the action of the Regional Commander suggested that DCOP Gyeabour was not fit to belong to the Police Service.

According to him, the matter should have first been taken up with the Inspector General of Police, Mrs. Elizabeth Mills-Robertson for redress because the Police Commander is directly answerable to her.

He remarked that DCOP Mensah-Gyeabour could not be proven guilty, despite his apology, until proven so by a competent court of jurisdiction.