Police Corruption and Police Reforms in Developing Societies

Kempe Ronald Hope Sr.

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781498777568
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Informatik
• Subtopic: Cybersicherheit

Much of the literature on police corruption and police reforms is dominated by case studies of societies classified as developed. However, under the influence of globalization, developing societies have become a focal point of scholarly interest and examination. Police Corruption and Police Reforms in Developing Societies provides critical analyses

Section II

Developing Societies Case Studies: Africa

Chapter 4

Ghana

Reducing Police Corruption and Promoting Police Professionalism through Reforms

Joseph R.A. Ayee

A number of published and unpublished studies have been devoted to the Ghana Police Service (GPS). They may be grouped under three headings. First, some of the studies, which form the largest number of studies on policing in Ghana, have focused on the historiography of policing (Young 1951; Jeffries 1952; Gillespie 1955; Ankama 1984; Anderson and Killingray 1991, 1992; Killingray 1991; Deflem 1994; Pokoo-Aikins 2002); the significance, causes, and types of violence in police operations and role performance (Ansah-Koi 1986; Aning 2002; Tankebe 2008a); and police administration (Ansah-Koi 1987; CHRI 2007). The second group of studies deals with monitoring police performance through their powers, actions, finances, and legal framework (Atuguba 2001; 2003; Aning 2002) and police accountability and types of accountability such as state control, independent external control, internal control, and social accountability (CHRI 2007; Anamzoya and Senah 2011). Police legitimacy and trustworthiness and public trust are influenced by police effectiveness; hence, the absence of trust can hugely undermine the success of the police; some of the factors that have possibly undermined trust in the police include neglect, indifference, incompetence, venality, extortion, discrimination, intimidation, inconsistency, excessive use of force, and brutality (Karikari 2002; Goldsmith 2005; Tankebe 2008b; Boateng 2012). The third group of studies, which seems considerably small compared to the first two groups, is directed at police corruption and reform (Atuguba 2007; CHRI 2007; Quantson 2008; Aning et al. 2013; Nyarko 2014).

Against this backdrop, this chapter builds and extends on these studies and thereby makes a contribution to the debate over police corruption and reform as well as policing generally in Ghana. It also emphasizes that police reform is not only to address police corruption but also to improve police performance and professionalism in the country.

Brief Country Context

Ghana is considered one of the most resilient democracies in West Africa after two and a half decades of military rule and political instability. Since 1992, political governance, which is a necessary crucible for sustaining economic governance, has improved considerably. The incidence of rampant coups during the postindependence era has given way to a stable multiparty democracy. Elections have been held, and there have been peaceful transfers of power between the country’s two main political parties, namely, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP). The December 2012 election was won by the NDC under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, by a narrow margin of less than 1% (325, 000 votes out of 11 million). The election results were challenged at the supreme court by the opposition NPP, which alleged election irregularities and the cancellation of over 1 million votes. On 29 August 2013, the court dismissed the case and upheld John Mahama as the legitimate elected president. The peaceful adjudication of the election petition and the fact that both political parties accepted the ruling have further consolidated Ghana’s democracy. The court case no doubt divided the country along political sympathies rather than on ethnic lines. Notwithstanding this, the risk of instability was muted by calls from civil society, including the clergy and the peace council, for peace to be maintained in the country. However, the outcome of the election has highlighted the need for electoral reforms especially with regard to the appointment and supervision of electoral officers (Ayee 2015; Oduro et al. 2014).

In a turbulent region, Ghana’s political stability has been a fundamental asset to foreign investors. Ghana boasts one of Africa’s most dynamic press industries and improved its ranking in the 2013 World Press Freedom Index from 41 in 2012 to 30. However, although several high-level corruption cases were publicized in 2013 and 2014, corruption continues to be a significant problem. By 2014, Ghana ranked 61 out of 175 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index and the eighth in Sub-Saharan Africa with a score of 48 points out of a possible 100 (TI 2014). Commenting on the 2013 ranking, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), a local chapter of Transparency International, had said that no reason could be given for Ghana’s score, but that some of the recent corruption issues meant that the country has more to do to fight corruption as scoring below 50 only serves as another reminder that Ghana has not marshaled enough resolve in tackling corruption (Myjoyonline 2013).

A Whistleblowers’ Act had been passed in 2006. It is to provide for the manner in which individuals may, in the public interest, disclose information that relates to unlawful or other illegal conduct or corrupt practices of others and for the protection against victimization of persons who make these disclosures. However, a Right to Information Act, a powerful weapon against corruption, is yet to be passed. For over a decade, the bill has been languishing in parliament with the parliamentarians exhibiting no real conviction or courage to pass it. To further reduce corruption, a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan—a 10-year blueprint—was also approved by parliament in 2014 and will be implemented as of 2015.

Short History of the Ghana Police Service

The Ghana Police is a creation of the British colonial government. Professional policing was introduced by the British colonial authorities to the Gold Coast, now the Republic of Ghana, in 1821. Prior to that, policing or maintenance of law and order was organized by the traditional authorities such as the local headsmen and chiefs, who employed unpaid messengers to carry out the executive and judicial functions in their respective communities (Ghana Police Service n.d.).

In 1894, the Institution of Police was formalized with the passing of the Police Ordinance that gave legal authority for the formation of a civil police force (Ghana Police Service nd). The attainment of independence in 1957 saw the Ghana Police Force being renamed the GPS to give it a human face and serve the citizens better (Mensah, 2008). In 1970, the police service was backed by an Act of Parliament—Act 350 of 1970—and this was supported later by other legislative instruments that have given the service a high level of legitimacy. With the enactment of the Police Force (Amendment) Decree in 1974, the GPS was removed from the control of the Public Service Commission and restored to the status of an autonomous organization (Mensah 2008). Under the British colonial authority, the civilian police force functioned as a state/party/personal service fashioned for the principal goal of provision of security services to the governor and his or her governmental functionaries; provision of security services to private (chartered) companies for the purposes of peaceful, effective, and efficient exploitation of the natural resources of the Gold Coast; and the enforcement of the rule of law for particular political, economic, and social ends of the colonialists (Ankama 1984; Aning 2002; Atuguba 2007).

After independence in 1957, there has not been much change in the operations of the Ghana Police. In other words, the nature, character, operations, and structure of modern policing did not change significan...

Table of contents

• Preface
• Editor
• Contributors
• Section I - Theoretical and Analytical Perspectives
• Section II - Developing Societies Case Studies: Africa
• Section III - Developing Societies Case Studies: Asia-Pacific
• Section IV - Developing Societies Case Studies: Latin America and Caribbean
• Chapter V - Chapter Summaries