Opinions of Monday, 25 November 2019

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

Is COP Nathan Kofi Boakye a policeman of integrity?

COP Nathan Kofi Boakye COP Nathan Kofi Boakye

What a simple question to ask, " Is COP Nathan Kofi Boakye a Policeman of Integrity?, but very difficult to answer, I should think. I shall be very brief with this write-up. However, I plead with the public to volunteer answers to the question posed based on their knowledge of the police officer in question.

Kofi Boakye has admirably been addressed as "Commander One", all based on some perceived good job he was/is doing or has done. But all told, is he a policeman of integrity to merit all the accolades heaped on him to the extent of the nation and some active and retired colleague police officers arguing favourably for him to be appointed the Inspector General of Police (IGP)?

Let me define the word INTEGRITY to help those who may decide to express their views in attempts to answer the question. Integrity is defined in the Cambridge dictionary as, "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change". It must be noted that a professional police officer is not only he who makes a living from his police job but also, the one who conforms to the ethics of his police profession in the execution of his duties. Again, is COP Nathan Kofi Boakye a professional police officer?

Should a policeman of integrity, and professional in the normal discharge of their duties be seen to do things differently to infringe the laws of the land, or the rules of his engagement as a police officer? The answer must be no. If so, there are two things out of the probably many commissions by Kofi Boakye that I find very worrying. If it is true that he ordered his junior officer investigating a fraudulent land-grabbing case involving the acclaimed Ghanaian ace criminal investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, as specified in the audio/video below, all in bad faith, then a question mark has been raised about the character of Kofi Boakye.

Additionally, are police officers, irrespective of their ranks, academic and tribal backgrounds, not employed by the government and paid by the Ghanaian taxpayers? Are they not required to be firm, fair and friendly in the discharge of their duties in conformity with the laws of the land and requirements of their contract of service? Can someone more powerful, be they a super-rich person, a traditional overlord who thinks he commands everybody in Ghana with the authority to make or break the nation, an audacious criminal, etc., order any police officer, let alone, the much accolade-decorated officer Kofi Boakye, to do their bidding which of course, is in contrast to the laws?

Yes, Kofi Boakye has done exactly that and when he was confronted, he felt so ashamed for letting himself and the nation down by helping a so-called traditional overlord orchestrate an abominable crime against some innocent persons. I shall discuss this particular commitment by him in any future publication should the need for its disclosure become compelling to me.

Did he accept a bribe from the person to induce him to do as he did, or he simply did that out of fear of that self-styling most powerful human being in Ghana? Whatever his motive behind his action, Kofi Boakye in my view has proved himself unfit for the position of the IGP despite many Ghanaians canvassing for him to be appointed to the office of the IGP. He is not fit for purpose and to me, he is a "Commander Hunu"

Such are the policemen and law enforcement agents that are helping crimes to spread in Ghana instead of stopping. When they do all these, they go behind the curtains to blame the government and the president for being weak in fighting crimes. Shame on them!

It is about time Ghanaians stood up to let their voices be heard over the mountains and in the valleys.

Let no one underestimate my resolve to die as a proud son of Kumawu/Asiampa soil; and a fighter for justice for the downtrodden in the Ghanaian society with my name so etched in the minds of discerning Ghanaians who would like to see Ghana emerge as a prosperous nation and from the grips of the corrupt politicians, greedy and callous chiefs and queens, and the criminals roaming the streets of the country.