Editor’s Take: Andy Kankam shares how political interference in policing can be stopped

Editor of the Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam, has proposed that for political interference in the police service to end, there must be a change in the attitude of police personnel.

In the special segment of the Happy Morning Show dubbed the ‘Editors’ Take’, Andy explained that even though political actors are mostly blamed for this canker, the attitude of police personnel plays a major role in whether this occurrence continues or not.

Speaking to Samuel Eshun, he said: “The police must take caution to assert their independence and must be prepared to call the bluff of politicians. Some policemen have served with distinction and that is because of the way they go about their appointment.

The same policemen who are on contract are being promoted because they have relatives in power. Is that the police service that we want to build? We cannot necessarily blame political actors. It is because of the police’s attitude; going to seek favour so in the process they compromise their professionalism and everything”.

Andy said he believed that the police is already empowered to enforce the law but this can only happen if they stop “walking the corridors of freedom after a government changes”.

He further advised that Ghanaians should not turn a blind eye to what is happening with the police service. “We will not play the ostrich sitting here that we don’t know what is going on. When Government changes, the way people go badmouthing on who is NDC and who is NPP, it is evident in the appointment and transfers we see in the police service”, he added.

By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah