<<Print>>

A Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, says the decision by the Police Administration to investigate eight (8) of its personnel for an alleged act of misconduct against Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of the Interior, which he attributes to political expediency, is a pointer to the NDCs gross disrespect of the service. To him, by this act, the Police Service has been reduced to an insignificant institution. �This is a disgrace and I am so disgusted, so embarrassed� and I am so embarrassed because it shows that if you are a policeman you no longer have any form of respect,� he said. On Sunday, October 2nd, Deputy Minister of the Interior, Kobby Acheampong, who could not stand the effrontery of some policemen on traffic duty for daring to stop him for over-speeding, caused their immediate arrest. The MTTU Officers on a motor check duty at Ekumfi Esaafa on the Cape Coast - Winneba Highway were alleged to have verbally abused Mr Acheampong for "daring" to offer them a piece of advice, as the Sector Deputy Minister, on the duties they were performing, according to a statement issued by the Police Public Directorate in Accra. The eight policemen are answering questions at the Police Headquarters upon the orders of the IGP, to whom the deputy minister lodged a complaint. The Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) unit of the Ghana Police Service is conducting the investigations. Speaking on OmanFM, an Accra-based commercial radio station, John Boadu said the repercussions of the deputy minister�s actions could lead to some commercial drivers disrespecting MTTU officials enforcing road regulations on the highways. He slammed the Public Affairs Directorate of the Police Service for what he described as the spewing of lies just to protect Kobby Acheampong. �Though there is a PRO for the Police Service whose work is to defend and protect the police, look at where we have reduced it to�you now have a police PRO defending a minister who already has a PRO,� he said.