Takoradi, Jan 17, GNA - A retired police officer has commended the Police Administration for the decision not to adopt wholesale promotion for cadets from the Police College to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

Mr Isaac Kofi Nketia, now a businessman based in Takoradi, told the Ghana News Agency on Monday that it was important that officers entering the senior rank be properly examined to ensure that they were up to the task.

"They need to be well vexed and conversant with police concepts and practices, modern crime detection, crime prevention, crowd control and other sensitive issues", he said.

Mr Patrick Acheampong, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), said at Pwalugu in the Upper East Region that there would be no wholesale promotion to the ASP rank of cadet officers entering the Police College. Mr Nketia, however, appealed to the Ministry of Interior to ensure that lower rank officers, particularly sergeants, were promoted to their next rank without any condition.

He said he had no problem with inspectors taking examinations for their promotion to the rank of ASP but said his concern was with the promotion of sergeants whom he claimed were made to be in that position for between eight and 10 years before sitting for promotion examinations. This, he noted, tended to frustrate many officers in that rank who end up "misconducting" themselves. Mr Nketia praised the IGP for his dynamism and said it was no wonder that many police officers hailed his appointment because they believed in his capabilities. He hoped the IGP's clarification on promotions in the service, particularly with regard to those in the lower ranks, would regain the confidence to work harder.