The president, Nana Akufo-Addo has sworn in the Police Council with a call on them to ensure that the Police Service is not an appendage to the governing party.

Demanding a high sense of professionalism from the service personnel, the president said the police officers must not tie their wellbeing to the party in power.

“There will be no interference in your work,” the president assured the police council whilst calling on their professional judgement and counsel on issues of policy.

The swearing in of the Police Council chaired by the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia comes at a time when the lawlessness appears to be taking an entrenched position in the country with political vigilantism high on the list.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the issues of lawlessness and mob justice should not be allowed to fester any more than it has already manifested.

He pledged his government’s commitment towards improving the lives of service personnel in line with the party’s 2016 manifesto.

In line with that the president the government will improve the accommodation of service personnel and will build two new hospitals to be cited in Sunyani and Bolgatanga.

He also promised the setting up of training schools to improve upon the professionalism of the service personnel.

The president, charged the council is to help the government in the realization of these policies.

Corruption

Nana Akufo-Addo is not in the least impressed with the corruption or perception of corruption that is always associated with the police service.

Citing the Afrobarometer reports on corruption, the president said at no point has such reports being mentioned without the police service being named.

The president charged the Council to ensure that perception of corruption by service personnel no longer holds.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

The Vice President in a response after the swearing in committed to assisting the government meet the goals it has set for itself.

He said they will strive to give the police service a “new look” and enhance the standard operations of service personnel.

We will work to “enhance the welfare package” and to ensure that personnel who die in service to the nation are well taken care of.

He promised to lead an invigorated Police Council that will work to ensure a sanitized police service.

The Council, among others, is made up of the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, Interior Minister Ambrose Dery, Inspector General of Police David Asante Appeatu.

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