African Police Resource Network

Ghana

Country Background

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of Ghana's third constitution in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Extract from:

The World Factbook

Please find a list of all documents in our database relevant to Ghana. Use the checkbox next to each line to expand more detail about the file, including the option to download.

Category	Date	Title	Detail
Country Websites	2007	The World Factbook: Ghana
Description: Uptodate information giving an overview of the country, its geography, demographics, government, economy, communications, transportation and military. A map is included. Author: Central Intelligence Agency Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
Legislation	1970	Ghana: Police Service Act 350 of 1970
Description: An Act to provide for the organisation and administration of the police service. Author: Parliament of the Republic of Ghana Source: http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/aj/police/legislation/ghana/police_act.htm
Legislation	1992	Constitution of the Republic of Ghana
Description: Constitution of the Republic of Ghana CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE POLICE SERVICE 200. (1) There shall be a Police Service of Ghana. (2) No person or authority shall raise any police service except by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament. (3) The Police Service shall be equipped and maintained to perform its traditional role of maintaining law and order. 201. There shall be established a Police Council which shall consist of – (a) the Vice–President, who shall be chairman; (b) the Minister responsible for internal affairs; (c) the Inspector–General of Police; (d) the Attorney–General or his representative; (e) a lawyer nominated by the Ghana Bar Association; (f) a representative of the Retired Senior Police Officers Association; (g) two members of the Police Service, appointed by the President, acting in consultation with the Council of State, one of whom shall be of a junior rank; and (h) two other members appointed by the President. 202. (1) The Inspector–General of Police shall be appointed by the President acting in consultation with the Council of State. (2) The Inspector–General of Police shall be head of the Police Service and shall, subject to the provisions of this article and to the control and direction of the Police Council, be responsible for the operational control and the administration of the Police Service. (3) Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the power to appoint persons to hold or to act in an office in the Police Service shall vest in the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Police Council. (4) The President may, subject to such conditions as he thinks fit, delegate some of his functions under this article by directions in writing to the Police Council or to a committee or to a member of the Council. 203. (1) The Police Council shall advise the President on matters of policy relating to internal security, including the rule of the Police Service, budgeting and finance, administration and the promotion of officers above the rank of Assistance Commissioner of Police. (2) The Police Council may, with the prior approval of the President, by constitutional instrument, make regulations for the performance of its functions under this Constitution or any other law and for the effective and efficient administration of the Police Service. (3) Regulations made under clause (2) of this article shall include regulations in respect of – (a) the control and administration of the Police Service; (b) the ranks of officers and men of each unit of the Police Service, the members of each rank and the use of uniforms by the members; (c) the conditions of service including those relating to the enrolment, salaries, pensions, gratuities and other allowances of officers and men; (d) the authority and powers of command of officers and men of the Police Service; and (e) the delegation to other persons of powers to discipline person and the conditions subject to which delegations may be made. 204. (1) There shall b e established for each region a Regional Police Committee which shall consist of – (a) the Minister of State appointed for the region, who shall be chairman; (b) the two most senior members of the Police Service in the region; (c) a representative of each district in the region appointed by the District Assembly in the district; (d) a lawyer practising in the region nominated by the Ghana Bar Association; (e) a representative of the Attorney–General; and (f) a representative of the Regional House of Chiefs; (2) A Regional Police Committee shall advise the Police Council on any matter relating to the administration of the Police Service in the region. Author: Republic of Ghana Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/republic/constitution.php
Networks	---	Ghana Police Service
Description: The official website of the Ghana Police Service The homepage contains information on the: – History of the Ghana Police – About The Ghana Police – Broad Formation – Headquarters – Functions – Projections – Objectives – Organisational Chart – Regional – Photo gallery – Regional Offices – News And Events – Employment – College – Notice – Security – Estates – Police Council – Community Police Unit – International Relations – Contact Details Publisher: The Republic of Ghana Source: http://www.ghanapolice.org/
Publications	2001	The Face and Phases of the Ghana Police
Description: Not available online Author: K Karikari. (ed) Publisher: Accra GertMersh Publishing
Publications	2003	"Pulling Back from the Brink. Ghana's Experience" in Gavin Cawthra and Robin Luckham (eds) Governing Insecurity
Description: "This essay is an analysis of conflict transformation in democratic Ghana. The West African country had been taken to the brink of violent conflict in the 1970s and 1980s given the fallouts of succession of military misrule. A decade later the country had shed itself of this potential threat without any violent explosion. However, consolidating the peace dividend of democracy will require dealing with the low–intensity violence endemic in the society today". Author: Hutchful,E. Publisher: London and New York: Zed Books Source: Not available online
Publications	2007	The Police, the People, the Politics: Police Accountability in Ghana.
Description: The report looks at the development of the police force in Ghana, examines issues facing the police and considers the accountability frameworks that the police organisation operates within. It outlines reforms that need to take place and sets out a roadmap for reform in Ghana. The 80–page report addresses the history of the police and politics in Ghana, the legislative framework, the public experience of policing, a conceptual framework for democratic policing, internal and external accountability mechanisms, debates on police reform in Ghana and an agenda for change Author: New Delhi: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Source: http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/police/police_accountability_in_ghana.pdf
Publications	2004	A Comparative Analysis of Security Sector Governance in West Africa: the Ghana Case
Description: "This paper analyses the manner in which the complex amalgam of statutory and non–statutory institutions that form the security sector is governed in Ghana. To appreciate the different developments that have contributed to what this paper argues is a genuine case of deepening democratic control of the security sector, an historical approach was taken". Author: Aning, E.K. Publisher: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Africa-wide Security Governance Project. Source: http://www.ssronline.org/edocs/a%20comparative%20analysis%20of%20the%20security%20sector%20in%20west%20africa%20030905.pdf
Publications	2007	Ghana: Justice Sector and the Rule of Law
Description: This Report provides a useful overview of the recent reforms to the criminal justice system in Ghana. It provides some crime data, and particularly detailed data and information about crimes against vulnerable groups. The legal framework of the Ghana Police Service is succinctly covered, as are the rather limited policing reforms and strategies. There is good data on the composition of the Ghana Police Service up to 2005, as well as fairly current information on the qualifications, training and remuneration of police personnel. The concluding part of the Report on policing comprises of information on police abuses, particularly those reported to the Commission on Human Rights and Administration of Justice, as well as the procedures for the internal investigation of complaints against police. Most of the data is gathered from in–depth interviews with police, providing an invaluable supplement to the very limited published resources on policing in Ghana. Author: Afrimap & OSISA Publisher: Dakar: Open Society Initiative for West Africa Source: http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AfriMAP_Ghana%20JusticeDD.pdf
Publications	2006	The Police Council in Ghana
Description: This paper was presented at the EALS/CHRI Roundtable on Police Accountability, Arusha, 12 – 13 June 2006 titled "The Police, the People, the Politics: Police Accountability in East Africa". The paper explores the role of the Police Council in Ghana, who may, "with the prior approval of the President, by constitutional instrument, make regulations for the effective and efficient administration of the Police Service". Author: Foley, E.A Publisher: Accra: CHRI. Source: http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/aj/police/ea/conference_2006/ghana_police_council_edmund_foley.pdf