AN Independent Police Commission (IPC) is to be set up by the Ministry of the Interior to address complaints from among the police and the public, with a view to maintaining high standard of discipline witahin the Ghana Police Service.
The commission “will put finality to all cases” brought before it by the police or from the public who feel aggrieved by the actions or inactions of the Police Administration, the Minister of the Interior, Mark Owen Woyongo, said yesterday in Accra during a working visit to the New Times Corporation (NTC).
The visit formed part of efforts by the minister, who is also a journalist, to build bridges of cooperation between the ministry and the media to fight crime and maintain national peace and stability, based on mutual respect and professionalism.
Mr Woyongo said the ministry was drafting a proposal for the consideration of the Police Council and for Cabinet and parliamentary approval, adding that “the Police Administration is agreeable to the setting up of the commission because it will help to clean its image”.
Giving further details about the composition of the commission, the Interior Minister said it would be made up of high calibre of people such as retired police officers, prosecutors and lawyers of high repute who “will consider cases and put finality to them”.
He explained that any police personnel who felt that his or her case had not been given a affair hearing through the police administrative procedures, would have the opportunity to send such a case before the commission for redress.
Conversely, Mr Woyongo said “any person from the public who feels aggrieved by the decision of the Police Administration would also have the opportunity to go to the commission to seek a redress”.
Mr Woyongo stressed on the need for professionalism and discipline among the police service, saying that the establishment of the commission was meant to enhance the discipline and professionalism among personnel, as well as enhance public confidence in the institution that was meant to serve them.
The minister admitted that the Police Administration was faced with some challenges as a human institution, but said efforts were being made to maintain high professionalism among the personnel to enhance service delivery.
The minister commended the media for their role in national development, and pledged to collaborate with them to promote peace and stability in the country.
Mr Woyongo commended the management and staff of the NTC for the efforts at improving the quality of its products, The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator.
The Editor of The Ghanaian Times, David Agbenu, lauded the minister for taking time off his busy schedule to interact with the media, and pledged the support of the paper to fight crime in the society in order to maintain peace and stability in the country.
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