Deputy IGP defies IGP

Story: Albert K. Salia

TWO of the three most senior officers in the Ghana Police Service, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and his deputy in charge of Operations are embroiled in a war of words.
While the Police Council, in a letter dated August 24, 2007 and signed by the IGP, Mr P. K. Acheampong, has directed Dr Kofi Kesse Manfo, his deputy, to retire with effect from September 1, 2007, Dr Manfo has, on the other hand, challenged the directive, describing it as unlawful.
However, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, when reached on phone in the Sandema District of the Upper East Region, said the decision reached by the Police Council was irreversible and that Dr Manfo had to go on retirement.
He said he had spoken to Dr Manfo, who had expressed regret about the tone of a letter he wrote to the IGP in response to the directive from the Police Council and indicated his willingness to withdraw the letter and proceed on leave prior to retirement.
In the letter, the Police Council requested Dr Manfo, as well as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Douglas Akrofi-Asiedu and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Victor Tandoh to proceed on their terminal leave with effect from September 1, 2007.
The letter reminded them “to respond to paragraphs four, five and six of this Headquarters letter No. PO1100/269 on the above subject dated February 28, 2006.”
It drew their attention to a circular No. 22/SF 11/115 dated February 15, 1982 regarding accommodation in the service.
“You will accordingly enjoy 63 days grace from September 1, 2007 to November 2, 2007 and vacate your official residence immediately after that date,” it added.
But in a sharp rebuttal, Dr Manfo said in a letter in response that the order for him to retire could not be complied with because the directive was unlawful as the IGP acted ultra vires.
He indicated that he was shocked by the notice of the IGP.
That, the letter said, was because Dr Manfo was appointed as Deputy IGP by the President the same day the IGP was also appointed.
Dr Manfo said his position and that of the IGP were presidential appointments and consequently, it was the President who could ask either of them to retire.
“It is not you or any other authority who asks or serves us to retire,” Dr Manfo added.
He explained that if in the wisdom of the President any of his appointees needed to be replaced, retired or redeployed, he did so and that was not based on age.
Dr Manfo reminded the IGP that under the 1992 Constitution, the President had the prerogative to extend any appointee’s tenure, saying that “you cannot decide this for the President. If you do this, you will be usurping his powers”.
“If you feel I have to be retired, the way forward for you is to write to the President through the Minister for the Interior or the Police Council for his decision,” he stated.
Some senior police officers who spoke to the Daily Graphic were divided on the issue.
While some felt that the Police Council was right in its decision, others sided with Dr Manfo.
For others, the way and manner in which the issue was put in the media created the impression that it was an attempt to slight Dr Manfo.
They were of the view that the IGP could write to those occupying administrative positions such as Mr Akrofi-Asiedu and Mr Tandoh and not political appointees.
When the acting Police Public Affairs Director, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Kwesi Ofori, was contacted, he declined to comment.