The newly reconstituted Governing Council of the Ghana Police Service, with Vice President Jane Naana Agyemang as the chair, was sworn-in on Tuesday, June 10.

President John Dramani Mahama inducted the 10-member council at Jubilee House in Accra. During the swearing-in ceremony, Jane Naana Agyemang recognized the immense responsibility the council carries.

"Our responsibility here is a serious one. The decisions we will make will affect the security of our citizens, the morale of our officers, and the trust between the law enforcement agencies and the public," she stated.

President Mahama, on the other hand, admonished the new Council to embrace professionalism, support efforts to modernise the police, and restore public confidence.

The newly inaugurated Council, chaired by Vice President Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, include presidential appointees, senior public officials and police representatives.

The other members include Mr. Mutaka Mohammed Mubarak – Member (Minister for the Interior and Member of Parliament), Mr. Christian Teteyohono – Member (Inspector General of Police), Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine – Member (Minister for Justice and Member of Parliament, representing the Attorney General’s Department), Mr. Daniel Owusu Nyampong, Esq. – Member (Representative of the Ghana Bar Association).

The others are: COP Nathan Kofi Boakye (Retired) – Member (Representative of the Retired Senior Police Officers Association), DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor – Member (Representative of Senior Officers of the Ghana Police Service), Chief Inspector Angel Lolo, Esq. – Member (Representative of Junior Officers of the Ghana Police Service), Ms. Rose Atinga Bio (Retired) – Member (Appointee of the President) and Mr. Benson Tunga Baba – Member (Appointee of the President).

The Police Council has been mandated to address internal challenges within the service, including issues related to indiscipline, welfare, promotions and postings.

In April this year, a National Tracking Poll by Global InfoAnalytics revealed that the Ghana Police Service and the Immigration Service are perceived as the most corrupt institutions in the country.

The poll, which assessed public perception of corruption across various sectors, placed the Police at the top with a score of 6.43, followed by the Immigration Service at 5.86.

For years, the Ghana Police has been branded as an institution rife with corrupt activities - a situation the government is working to resolve.

During the swearing-in ceremony of Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) in March, President John Dramani Mahama stressed the need for urgent reforms to eliminate corruption within the Ghana Police Service.

He emphasized that transparency and accountability must be at the core of law enforcement. He highlighted that maintaining integrity within the police service is essential for enforcing the rule of law and safeguarding national security.

“Mr IGP, your duty extends beyond maintaining law and order; it also involves eliminating corruption from the service,” he stated.

He warned that corruption among law enforcement officers diminishes confidence in the police, making it difficult to uphold justice and combat crime effectively.

To counter these challenges, President Mahama called on IGP Yohuno to take decisive action against unethical conduct, including bribery and abuse of power, to restore credibility to the service He insisted that corruption at all levels must be met with strict enforcement measures and accountability.

“It is imperative that officers at all ranks are held to the highest ethical standards, and any form of malpractice, from bribery to abuse of power, must be swiftly and decisively addressed,” he asserted.

Mahama expressed his belief that under Yohuno’s leadership, the police service would undergo much-needed reforms, ensuring that the institution regains the full confidence and respect of the Ghanaian public.