Police respond to the ‘most corrupt’ tag by researchers, demand explanations
Recent surveys that identified the Ghana Police Service as the most corrupt public institution have triggered a response from the service
Survey reports released by different institutions including the Ghana Statistical Service and its partners, as well as the Afrobatometre report interestingly had officers of the service topping the corruption list.
The Afro barometer study undertaken by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), points to the fact that 65 per cent of Ghanaians believe most police are corrupt, while 31 per cent believe only some police are corrupt.
Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare reacting to this report in a five-page signed letter acknowledged that there may be some bad nuts in the service, just like any human institution.
In the letter, the IGP revealed how the service is working to implement measures to discourage corruption among its men and women.
The service, however, is of the view that it would have been helpful if the researchers had engaged its leaders to find out what measures they had instituted, so they can be incorporated into the findings.
“We want to place on record that we are concerned about this since the continuous empirically and scientifically unsubstantiated labelling of the police as the most corrupt institution in the country only goes to feed this perception and damage the reputation of the Police Service as well as weaken the morale of its personnel.”
“As we have all now come to accept, perception tends to be more powerful than reality, and therefore we have no choice but to share our position on this matter.”
Also, the police service deems the research and its findings as heavily challenged and corrupted from both academic and practical points of view.
It said it could not hide its serious concerns about the research and its findings after reviewing the Afrobarometer report.
The letter presented some 14 concerns to the researchers and requested a response to each of the concerns from the researchers.
The response to the concerns, the service says will help them better understand the research outcomes and further shape measures being implemented by the Service to improve its delivery.
“Whilst we wait for your response, please accept the assurance of our highest consideration.”
Read the letter below.
