2000 police personnel promoted

Page: 47; February 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
MORE than 2,000 personnel of the Ghana Police Service have been promoted to various ranks as part of efforts to motivate them.
The Police Council handled the senior officers promotions while the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr P. K. Acheampong, was responsible for the junior officers.
The acting Director of Public Affairs, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic on Wednesday that 1,358 of the promoted staff were junior officers with the remaining being senior officers.
He said among the senior officers were 17 Chief Superintendents who were promoted to Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), 28 from Superintendents to Chief Superintendents, 68 from Deputy Superintendents of Police to Superintendents and 60 from Assistant Superintendents to DSPs.
DSP Ofori said among the newly promoted ACPs were Mr Richmond Nii Ashitey Lomo Boi-Bi-Boi, Accra Regional Crime Officer; Madam Elizabeth Allando, Madina Divisional Commander; Martha Appiah, Divisional Crime Officer for Kpeshie; Messrs Anthony Tennyson Aidoo, Director of Police Communications, and Kwesi Mensah Duku, Tesano Divisional Police Commander.
He said the Director of Interpol Ghana, Mr Frank Sam Kwofie, and the Quarter Master-General, Mr Victor Gyan-Kyereko, were among those promoted from Superintendents to Chief Superintendents.
He explained that the promotions were based on seniority and the availability of vacancies in the general pool and the particular professional units.
DSP Ofori said prospective candidates for promotion must also have an unblemished career, no conviction for disciplinary problems in the past two years, no ongoing investigations and must have served for four years in his or her current position.
According to him, those who return from approved study leave must also work satisfactorily for six months after their return before recommendation is made for their promotion.
He explained that when approved such officers would not lose their seniority as they would be promoted to be at par with their colleagues.
DSP Ofori said so also were personnel on attachment with the United Nations and other bodies either outside or within the country.
He said such officers upon their return would be promoted accordingly so far as they did not have any disciplinary problems.
Besides these, he said, there was also room for special recommendation for promotion for personnel who exhibited exceptional commitment, bravery and courage to duty.
DSP Ofori said in such cases, the number of years served by the personnel did not matter before being promoted.
He said the IGP was hopeful that the promotions would encourage the affected personnel to work hard.