The recently retired Commissioners of Police of the Ghana Police Service are still holding on to vehicles assigned to them when they were in service.
Their action has compounded the situation of the already vehicle-starved institution, DAILY GUIDE has learnt.
Those who have assumed the positions of the four superior officers under the circumstances are compelled to make do with the vehicle shortage created by, what some observers within and outside the system, describe as greed because as one of such persons who retired many years ago said ‘these are persons who have in some cases three or four cars in their homes and can easily do without these Service vehicles yet they are holding onto them.’
The vehicles, in some cases, are maintained by the Service workshop at a cost to the Ghana Police Service, DAILY GUIDE has learnt.
One of such retired superior police officers (name withheld) is holding on to a Toyota Tundra which is needed in the anti-robbery and land guard operations the law enforcement institution is fighting currently.
Their action is setting a bad precedence for others in future to replicate if it is not stopped now, the former superior officer has noted.
He expressed surprise at what for him is an anomaly because according to him while such former officers of a certain rank are entitled to residing in Service accommodation for three months ‘the same cannot be said for the vehicles which are needed for very serious operations being undertaken by personnel.’
One of the commissioners before she went on retirement had a Service vehicle refurbished only for her to take it away for private use. ‘It does not appear that she would return the Peugeot refurbished at an expensive cost to the Service to the transport pool for reallocation to a serving commissioner.’
The vehicles bear operation registration numbers and so when they are involved in accidents the legal implications could be messy since they are not currently in the pool of vehicles of the Ghana Police Service.
ACP/Mr. David Eklu Director General of the Ghana Police Service when DAILY GUIDE contacted him said the prevailing convention is that Commissioners of Police are entitled to live in Service bungalows for three months.
Such retiring officers must return the Command vehicles but the convention over the years is that they can keep the house cars for domestic activities he said adding that ‘there is no clear cut standard regarding such vehicles but over the years retired commissioners have always kept such house cars. He also added the Peugeot car being kept by a retired Commissioner of Police has been returned.
DAILY GUIDE has reliably learnt that the IGP has ordered that the retired Commissioners be asked to return the vehicles in their custody.
The issue of the non-existing standard regarding such vehicles for retiring Commissioners of Police, DAILY GUIDE has also learnt, would be tabled before the next engagement of the Police Council so it can be deliberated upon and the necessary documentation to that effect captured in the regulations of the Ghana Police Service.
The absence of such standards has resulted in retired Commissioners exploiting a convention to their advantage but to the disadvantage of the Service.
By A.R. Gomda