…..Says “he must win fair and square; no need for new deputy IGP”
The Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, a strong supporter of the 2024 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has cast doubt on the claims by the Presidency, that the Police Council, recommended the appointment of Commissioner of Police (COP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, as a new Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, last week made the appointment, saying it was based on the advice of the Police Council, chaired by Dr Bawumia, the Vice President.
President Akufo-Addo in a press statement, stated that the appointment followed the advice of the Police Council during its meeting held on Wednesday, July 17, where COP Yohuno’s exceptional credentials and dedication to duty were acknowledged.
The statement by the Jubilee House Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin, also described the Commissioner, as a distinguished law enforcement officer with a career spanning over three decades, who has held key positions within the Service.
“This appointment is pursuant to the advice of the Police Council at its meeting held today, Wednesday, 17th July 2024, during which COP Yohuno’s exceptional credentials and dedication to duty were acknowledged,” a press release from the presidency said.
But, Kofi Bentil, has charged the Akufo-Addo government to desist from taking decisions that would give the impression that the 2024 election, is being skewed to favour the NPP Presidential candidate, Dr Bawumia.
According to him, even though he supports Dr Bawumia, he said his victory must be achieved legitimately.
“Everybody knows where I stand, but if Dr Bawumia, is going to win this election, let him win it fair and square,” he said.
Kofi Bentil’s comments were in reaction to COP Yohuno’s appointment as the new Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations.
Since this news broke, a section of Ghanaians, have questioned the motive, suggesting that it could be an alternative means to “clip the wings” of IGP Dr George Dampare or remove him.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile, Mr Bentil stated that the President made an error in appointing a deputy IGP with a designated task, arguing that it lends credence to the allegations in the leaked audio, suggesting a plot to oust Dr Dampare for his uncompromising stance against rigging the upcoming election.
“The NPP as a group absolved itself sufficiently when they voted together with the minority to accept the Commission’s report in Parliament and that showed that the NPP didn’t have a problem and did not have a problem with IGP Dampare and not seeking to remove him,” he said on Saturday.
Despite this, Mr Bentil, expressed concern over actions by certain government operatives that he believes undermine this commitment.
“Now you clearly have a situation where operatives within this same government have gone to do something which is clearly not permitted within the law, so it brings back that situation.”
“… We’re not stupid, people see what is going on and it doesn’t help anybody,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini.
He warned that the actions of these operatives, could hurt public perception.
“When you have a situation that the nation is moving in a certain direction, what will change minds is talking. Dr Bawumia, is campaigning so those operatives who think that this is a way to win the election, are wrong and they should stop it!”
Kofi Bentil, read Article 202 of the 1992 Constitution, which talks about the roles and duties of the IGP, and those of deputy IGP.
“Section 6 says the that Inspector General of the Police is the head of the service subject to the provisions of the Article 202 of the constitution, and to the control and direction of the council, is responsible for the operational control and administration of the service. This is law”.
“Two, the IGP may delegate to an officer of the service functions that the IGP considers necessary, but the IGP is not relieved from the ultimate responsibility for the performance of the delegated functions”.
“..and the Section 4 says that the Deputy IGP shall supervise, control, monitor and provide day-to-day management of all schedules and command and shall report to the Inspector General. For does not give the Deputy IGP, operational roles.. it gave him administrative role and supervisory roles. Reporting to the IGP”.
“Now in Article 202 of the constitution, it is clear that the appointing authority was given for the specific position of the IGP. If go to section 3 of Act 350, which is the Police Service Act, these are the offices established. a. the Inspector General of Police, Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police, and person holding positions or ranks created under this Act”.
“The Deputy IGP position is a flexible position, which may or may not be occupied. So for many times, there’s no deputy IGP. It is not a position that may be appointed above the IG, because of rank issues, disciplinary issues and control issues, and it even breaches management principles”.
“If you have an IG, the police council and the Police Management Board may appoint a deputy IG to assist the IG, not the President. In the constitution, the President is the appointing authority for every officer. But if you read further, you’ll see that he delegates that… in practice and management systems, you don’t want a situation where the President appoints a subordinate to the boss that means he reports behind that person.
“Even if you have a deputy IGP, definitely, the President may not assign him a deputy such as go and do operations or go and do this. Indeed, the law specifically says, if there’s going to be a deputy IG, he shall only do administrative work and report to the IG, and even if the IG gave anybody; delegates his powers, he the IGP shall not be relieved of the ultimate responsibility.
“Now, the gentleman who has been appointed, I personally have a relationship, not a relationship, I have interacted with him all through the demonstration. I found him to be the absolute best so there’s no problem with him, however, you put him in a difficult situation. He merits the position, but is it for the President to come to tell you he is giving you his position of operations. If we allow this to stand as it is, the President, therefore, the Precedent that has been set, means the President can appoint any number of the Deputy IGPs and assign them any number of specific duties and that will bring trouble.
The President can render the IGP, “totally useless and mess with the operation and authority structure”
Those suggesting that the appointment is a fallout from the Parliamentary Probe into Bugri Naabu –IGP leaked tape, “make it because they are well-grounded in how things have gone. So you have a whole effort to remove the man and clearly it failed….”
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said the appointment of COP Yohuno, is a strategic move by the governing ruling NPP ahead of the 2024 election.
He pointed out that, the Police Council played a role in this decision and is chaired by the Vice President, who is also in the presidential race, suggesting it cannot be a mere coincidence at this time.
Also on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr Ablakwa stated that “the statement from the president or the Director of Communication, says this is based on the advice of the Police Counsel, which is chaired by Vice President Bawumia. I see a grand conspiracy ahead of the 2024 elections.”
Mr Ablakwa, referred to supposed tactics in Parliament, such as the Chairman of the special parliamentary Committee, Atta Akyea’s refusal to sign the report and efforts to redo the committee’s work.
“When you look at the conspiracy, people are just looking at the elections. Let’s bring in somebody we can trust, and all these things started in Assin North [By-election]. They think the IGP didn’t do enough.”
However, the retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo, who was recently acquitted and discharged in the high-profile coup plot case, has emphasised that there is no connection between the leaked tape and the president’s appointment of COP Yohuno, as the Deputy IGP in charge of operations.
Speaking on JoyNews on Thursday, July 18, 2024, he said the president has the power to appoint or disappoint persons occupying some offices in the country.
“There is no link between the leaked tape and what the president has done. Whatever is in the leaked tape, the report is with the president; he can do whatever he wants with the report. The report was not against the IGP; it was against Mr Alex Mensah and 3 others. The president has the power to appoint and disappoint. If the president wants to change the IGP, he will do it without breaking any law. When the president changed the CDS, we did not make noise,” he stated.
ACP (Rtd.) Agordzo, said COP Yohuno is one of the finest police officers he has worked with, describing his appointment by the president as commendable.
