General News of Monday, 22 June 2009

Source: By Atta Kobena, Ex-Inspector

Ghana@50 Inquiry - Probe Ghana Police Service

I was glad when I read that the Vice President, John Mahama had inaugurated a three member commission of inquiry into the Ghana@50 celebrations. The Vice President demanded from the commission an objective, fair and just enquiry that establishes cold hard facts of all transactions and activities related to the 50th anniversary celebration.

I wish to humbly request the commission to extend its inquiries to cover the GHANA POLICE SERVICE and all other state departments/agencies that played active role in the celebration of the anniversary.

I am a retired Police Officer and I can state without fear that there were fishy deals in the Ghana Police Service concerning items and equipment purchased for the Service’s role in the anniversary. Under the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, a secretariat for the Ghana@50 was set up at the National Police Headquarters and the kind of malpractices that occurred in that office cannot be allowed to go unnoticed.

For instance, the IGP and his cronies claimed that an opener for soft drinks and minerals which was being sold at the open market between 500 and 1000 old Ghana cedis was purchased at 10,000 old Ghana cedis. HOW? WAS IT A DIAMOND OPENER?

The former IGP and some top Police Commissioners and Officers gained immensely from the fishy deals that went on at the Ghana Police Service Headquarters with all transactions in connection with the Ghana@50 anniversary celebration. Most of the companies that were awarded contract to supply items and equipment to the Ghana Police Service belonged to some of these Officers.

The Senior Police Officer who was in charge of the Police Headquarters Ghana@50 Secretariat is now rich and swimming in “dough”. He really played to the gallery of the former IGP, Patrick Acheampong and some of his top Commissioners

There were numerous corrupt practices that went on which I cannot list in this article.

I am sure that similar dealings happened in most state departments/agencies that were allocated huge funds for the role they played in the Ghana@50 anniversary celebration.

I am appealing to Mr. Justice Isaac Douse and his team to spread their tentacles to cover, especially, the GHANA POLICE SERVICE and all other state departments/agencies for them to account for the tax payer’s money allocated to them.

The former IGP must be pulled by the nose to the Commission of Inquiry to explain all purchases made and contracts awarded for the Ghana Police Service in connection with the anniversary. As the head of the Ghana Police Service at that time he should be made to account for every pesewa spent by his administration.

I hope someone is listening. Thank you for the space.