COP John Kudalor tipped for IGP

President John Mahama could settle on COP John Kudalor as the next Inspector General of Police (IGP) when the tenure of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Alhassan, is due before the year runs out.

The IGP is said to have reached retiring age of 60 years.

But given the now commonplace extension of tenures for selected personnel through contracts in the Ghana Police Service and his track record, some of which are the novelties he has introduced in the police system since assuming office and his UN policing pedigree, President Mahama could bless him with such generosity.

Otherwise, one of those jockeying for the position could have the nod and that person is likely to be COP Kudalor, Director General of Police Operations.

The President, as per the Constitution, appoints the IGP in consultation with the Vice President who chairs the Police Council.

However, in practice though, it is highly unlikely the President’s preference would be thrown overboard.

Should Mr. Kudalor get the nod eventually, COP Rose Atenga-Bio would have lost out in her bid to be the second female Superior Police Officer to head the Service.

Mrs. Elizabeth Mills- Robertson acted as IGP for sometime before her exit for a diplomatic appointment in Sierra Leone as High Commissioner.

Rose, as she is fondly called, is one of the most powerful personalities in the police today but efforts to move her to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) in furtherance of the almost conventionalized practice of seconding superior police officers to head the security organisations is marred in challenges.

It is yet to be seen whether this would scale through, in the light of the notice served by some GIS personnel that they would resist the efforts preferring one of their kind to be chosen to break the cycle.

COP Dr. Peter Wiredu, a Superior Police Officer, is currently the head of the GIS.

One Superior Police Officer, who should be smiling today, is Chief Superintendent Sylvester Boyuo, a regular face during the Supreme Court election petition hearing.

He occasionally had encounters with the media and NPP supporters.

He has been given an extension of stay in the police, a phenomenon now common in the Service, especially for those in the good books of government. In the Police Service, they call such people ‘job for the boys’, a very uncomplimentary remark.

Known for his acerbic and undiplomatic language, Mr. Boyuo was quoted recently after the Kotoko and Hearts encounter telling media persons, whom he turned away fruitlessly, that “we trained for the election petition but nothing happened. If you joke with us we will deal with you.”

The media persons were clamouring to have a word with the players as their buses were departing.

DCOP Robert Ayalingo whose retirement drew enormous bad blood among his subordinates at his Brong Ahafo Region base appears to have exhausted the extension largesse he got.

He might have to work on another extension or quit.

In a related development, the Kasoa District Commander, Tesano District Officer, Tesano Divisional Commander, Odorkor District Police Commander, Osu District Commander, Teshie District Commander and Nima District Crime Officer have been moved to new locations.