Governance expert calls for guaranteed tenure for IGP

Governance expert, Dr. Eric Oduro Osae has said the office of the Inspector General of Police should have a system that allows the IGP to have a defined tenure of office.

According to him, the lack of a guaranteed tenure hinders the effective implementation of reforms and policies, and this affects the work of the police.

His comments follow discussions about various governments removing and appointing new IGPs when they assume power.

This issue is coming up again after President Akufo-Addo this week directed the IGP David Asante-Apeatu to proceed on leave ahead of his retirement in August.

In his stead, his deputy, COP James Oppong-Boanuh acts as IGP until a substantive one is appointed by the president.

Mr. Apeatu in 2017 took over as the IGP from John Kudalor who was appointed by former president John Dramani Mahama.

Addressing the issue on TV3’s Key Points show, Dr. Oduro Osae said there is the need for an amendment in the constitution and the Police Service Act to make provision for a guaranteed tenure for IGPs going forward.

This he said will make the IGPs work in the best interest of the state instead of allowing them to be tied to the governments that appoint them in order to protect their job.

“The tenure of the head of an important institution like the police service should not be linked to that of the government of the day. They should survive successive governments, so then, they would become professional and know they are there for the public and not the government.”

Dr. Oduro Osae further said the police have a structure they work with, and this should be considered before appointments are made.

“We should try and allow the internal succession plan of the police service to work, we should depoliticize the appointment procedure and allow them to work,” Dr. Oduro Osae stressed.