Why President Akufo-Addo must appoint a much younger officer as IGP

Mr Appeatu was appointed IGP when he was almost due for retirement. However, he was given a two-year contract extension which would have seen him officially retire in the middle of August.

In the last two decade, the position of IGP appears to be a compensation for retiring police officers who feel they are entitled to be at the position before they leave the service. As such, young, budding police officers have been left in the shadows and sidestepped.

Paul Tawiah Quaye, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan and John Kudalor, who served as IGP under the late Professor John Mills and John Mahama, all had contract extensions after retirement.

COP Oppong-Boanuh has passed the retirement age and was, just like Asante-Apeatu, given two-year contract extension. It is obvious he will be lobbying to be given another contract extension for him to also serve as a substantive IGP.

I have spoken to several police officers who see him as a fantastic cop. However, majority of them expressed concern he will be disastrous as his ousted boss. Why? some argue that he will be at the beck and call of the ruling party and that he may end up throwing his professionalism to the dogs.

Our polarized political landscape has made the IGP virtually a member of the governing party who is incapable of dealing with recalcitrant party and government officials.

Take for instance, the current CID boss, Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, was more interested in preserving the image of the government done investigate an allegation made against Akufo-Addo's Deputy Chiefs of Staff by musician Kwame A Plus.

A Plus had made corruption allegations against the two deputy chiefs of staff--Samuel Abu Jinapor and Francis Asenso Boakye-- saying that they both interfered with the management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Maame Yaa's outfit cleared the two of any wrongdoing.

Many also believe Asante Apeatu was ousted because his Executive Secretary resigned from the service to run for parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

There are young, fresh and action oriented police officers the president must consider in settling on the next IGP. President Akufo-Addo must depart from what is becoming a norm of appointing retiring officers to become IGP.

Crime trend is changing and Ghana will need an influential, inspirational and a young officer to lead and reform the police service in other to fight complex crimes like kidnappings, ponzi schemes, vigilantism among others.

I am not going to such names to the president. In fact I don't have the capacity to do that. However, the mood in the police service suggest they don't want COP Oppong-Boanuh as the next IGP, especially when we are heading into election 2020.

The men and women in uniform want something fresh, and forward looking. They want a departure from the past.