President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged the newly sworn in members of the Police Council to work hard to dispel the perception of corruption among service personnel.

The swearing in of the Police Council chaired by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Thursday, 7 July comes at a time when lawlessness appears to be taking a foothold in the country with increased political vigilantism high on the list.

Mr Akufo-Addo, speaking at a brief ceremony to inaugurate the 10-member Police Council at the Flagstaff House, urged the police to ensure they do not become an appendage of the governing party.

According to him, the police must focus on their core mandate by protecting ordinary citizens without interference of the powers that be.

He said: “The police service unfortunately suffers lower public image than it should have. Report after report of the afro barometer cites the service as the most perceived corrupt public institution in Ghana. This is not right and can no longer be the status quo. The citizenry can only have confidence in the police service when they are seen to be honest and will enforce the law without fear or favour. Your task during your term of office is to ensure that this perception no longer holds.”

Mr Akufo-Addo added that: “It is in everybody’s interest that the police service retains the neutrality and professionalism guaranteed under the constitution. Governments have term limit and in a multiparty democracy, parties win and lose power. It is good for the health of the nation that this is so. And this is why the police service should not tie their wellbeing or otherwise to the fortunes of the ruling party of the day. As president and together with you members of the police council, we must ensure that the police service is left to focus on their core mandate and not to be an appendage of the ruling party. I envisage a police service that goes about its duty of protecting ordinary citizens and confident that there will be no interference from the powers that be.”

Vice president Dr Bawumia speaking on behalf of his colleague council members promised to lead an invigorated Police Council that will work to ensure a sanitised police service.