CHRI-Africa launches report

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Africa, has launched a report on the multi stakeholder roundtable on the proposed Independent Police Complaint Commission (IPCC).

The 25-page report highlighted the various contributions made by the stakeholders, including Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Ghana Bar Association and Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and the Interior.

Delivering her welcome address in Accra on Wednesday, Ms Mina Mensah, Regional Director CHRI Africa said, as part of measures to address police indiscipline and accountability, the Inspector General of Police recently announced the intention by the police administration to establish the IPCC.

She said civil society organisations, including the CHRI Africa, therefore decided to come together as a coalition to initiate a national conversation on the proposal by Ghana Police Service to enable Ghanaians contribute to the discourse, feel a sense of ownership and advocate a truly independent civilian complaint mechanism.

“Democracy as we all know thrives on dialogue and citizens have a role to play in ensuring that the IPCC that will be formed will enjoy the support of both the police and the citizenry to make it perform effectively,” she said.

She urged the media to support the advocacy since it is key partner in empowering citizens through reliable information and dissemination.

Ms Mensah said situating the IPCC under the parent ministry of the police defeats the concept of independence, especially when there is a history of non-disclosure of contents of reports of investigations into several incidents of police malfeasance, brutality and even killings.

She explained that the idea of an independent civilian oversight of policing is to ensure that complaints against the police would be investigated without undue influence and bias by the police and government.

Mr Lawrence Amesu, Director of Amnesty International Ghana, said the formation of the IPCC would help promote accountability and discipline in the police service and it is important that it gets the full support of the public.

Mr Fritz Baffour, Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and the Interior, who launched the report, said the police service is changing its mandate to include public safety and security.