Investigations into the corruption surrounding the 53RD Cadet Course admission to the Ghana Police Service Academy ought to be conducted in-depth.
Men and women of the Ghana Police Service are elated and impressed with the newly appointed Minister for the Interior, Hon. Henry Quartey, for his swift intervention in halting the corrupt-laden, highest-bidder for sale entry opportunity and manipulating the intake of personnel to constitute the 53rd Cadet Course at the Police Academy.
Hon. Henry Quartey has won the hearts and admiration of virtually every police officer because he has proven to be incorruptible, principled, and not a pushover. One good thing, they say, deserves another.
We urge the Hon. Minister to go beyond the stoppage and institute a thorough and independent investigation into, first and foremost, the examination that was conducted in February of this year. The results have been seriously criticized as having been conducted under corrupt circumstances. No wonder Dampare is hurriedly pushing for the course to take place without broader consultation and recourse to even his immediate boss, the sector minister. The agenda for rushing the course is to also prevent candidates from challenging their papers.
Another canker on which the Hon. Minister has to focus is the unwarranted and serious corruption regarding the over 150 special recommendations awarded to unqualified cronies, friends, associates, boot-flickers, and other undeserved juniors in rank. How on earth can Dampare recommend people who are not even one year in their rank as Chief Inspectors to the Police Academy over people who have spent 10 years or more in their rank as Chief Inspectors? Dampare has no respect for or regard for laid-down policies, rules, and regulations. There is so much disaffection amongst police personnel as a result of the plethora of injustices under Dampare.
Police personnel are under dictatorship, tyrannical, and sadistic rule under Dampare, who always portrays to the world that he is a saint. Police personnel are very happy that some powers that were shielding Dampare, thereby making him untouchable, have been removed. There is no doubt that Hon. Henry Quartey is going to ensure accountability, transparency, and fairness in the Ghana Police Service.
This incident has happened before. Courses 51 and 52 were littered with incredible corruption under Dampare, to the extent that the Office of the Special Prosecutor initiated an investigation into the matter. For some inexplicable reasons, that investigation never saw the light of day. The corruption trend surrounding courses at the Police Academy is untenable. No wonder there are. Assistant superintendents of police now who cannot even read or write.
No one is totally condemning special recommendations, but they should not be abusive and capricious, as is being witnessed under Dampare. He alone determines the criteria for special recommendations without recourse to policy guidelines. The abuse of office and authority by Dampare should end immediately.
Prior to the release of the examination results, Dampare intentionally took some days off. While on leave, he was giving instructions from his hideout as to who had to be considered for special recommendations. Dampare was calling politicians, religious and traditional, journalists, and his cronies to submit slots for consideration to the Police Academy. Some of the candidates who even failed the examination have been given special recommendations. What sort of injustice is this? The examination was only used as a smoke screen to promote undeserved and unqualified associates of Dampare.
Reliable information has it that while Police Management Board (POMAB) members were given a slot each, some journalists and close associates were given as much as three. Some of these slots are alleged to have been sold to would-be course members, ranging from 30,000 gh cedis to 50,000 gh cedis. This is very sad and despicable. Sanctions have to be applied after a thorough investigation.
Hon. Minister Henry Quartey, police personnel are counting on you to uncover the numerous corrupt and incredible happenings under Dampare that have caused so much disaffection. Please crack the whip and restore the lost morale in the service. Virtually everyone, including the fourth estate of the realm, that is, the media, has been gagged from exposing the ills in the Ghana Police Service.
We pray for God’s wisdom, guidance, and protection to stand tall against corruption and the state of helplessness in the Ghana Police Service.
Long live the Ghana Police Service, the new Hon. Minister for the Interior, and our dear country, Ghana.
Ashantibiz
