Uproar over Kofi Boakye`s re-instatement

Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, October 8, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The decision to either recall or sack the former Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boakye, became a subject of heated debate when the Police Council met at the police headquarters in Accra, yesterday.


Several hours after the meeting, which was chaired by the Vice President John Dramani Mahama, government officials including Interior Minister, Cletus Avoka, Information Minister, Zita Okaikoi, who were locked-up in a marathon meeting, and would not speak to the press.

Spokesperson for the Vice President, John Abdulai Jinapor would also not tell what had become of Kofi Boakye's fate, long after his boss returned from the Police Council meeting, since according to him, he was waiting to be called and briefed by the Veep.

At the time of going to press around 9:00 pm yesterday, the Interior Minister, Hon. Cletus Avoka was expected to issue an official statement on the issue, which would announce the re-instatement of the former police boss.

ACP Kofi Boakye was interdicted in 2007, following the recommendations of a committee chaired by the current chief Justice, Georgina Wood, which investigated the much-publicized MV Benjamin cocaine case.

The recommendations of the same committee led to the prosecution and subsequent conviction of Kwabena Amaning, alias Tagor, and Issa Abass for their involvement in the case, but were later freed after an Appeals Court heard their case. Though the Georgina Wood committee made recommendations for Mr. Boakye to be prosecuted, the police administration, which was then led by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, decided to interdict him in order to conduct further investigations.

A day before leaving office, former President Kufuor ordered the reinstatement of Kofi Boakye and ordered the police administration to pay him all his entitlements.

However, on assumption of office, the Mills administration asked the Police Chief to remain on leave, until a final determination by the Police Council.

Meanwhile, the former Deputy Director and Head of Operations at the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Mr. Ben Ndego, who was asked to proceed on indefinite leave after the disappearance of the MV Benjamin cocaine, has been re-instated by the government with full salary and benefits.