The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has engaged the Ghana Police Service in Koforidua to promote lawful policing practices grounded in ethical responsibility and public accountability.
The engagement brought together 40 selected officers from the Koforidua, Akropong, and Akosombo Divisions in the Eastern Region to address concerns bothering on human rights and minority rights.
It aimed to deepen officers’ understanding of legal compliance while addressing the ethical dimensions of law enforcement and the potential social disruptions that result from breaches.
Facilitators emphasized the importance of professional conduct, public trust, and respect for rights in maintaining law and order.
Addressing participants, Dr. Michael Augustus Akabor, Programmes Officer at CDD-Ghana, spoke on the practical application of human rights and the need to integrate minority rights concerns into policing.
He said it was imperative for the police, as enforcers of the law, to adopt a quality management system that would ensure consistency, fairness, and improved performance in discharging their duties.
Referring to minority groups, including those identified as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer, Dr. Akabor stated that law enforcement officers must uphold fairness and impartiality in their duties; even within a legal context that remains largely unsupportive of such identities in Ghana.
“The fact that the status of some groups is narrowly recognised does not mean they are to be denied their rights. The rights of every individual must be respected,” he stated.
He noted that CDD-Ghana’s mission included advancing good governance, inclusive development, and democratic accountability across Ghana and the African continent.
Speaking on behalf of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Ebenezer Tetteh, Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer, acknowledged the ongoing human rights concerns confronting the police institution, including unlawful arrests, detentions, and alleged brutality.
He explained that the orientation was designed to reach select officers who would in turn promote lawful and rights-respecting practices among their peers.
Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, a Professor of International Law at the University of Ghana School of Law, addressed the legal complexities between Criminal Law and Fundamental Human Rights.
He explained that although the two were interconnected, they also acted as checks on each other to prevent both state abuse and misuse of individual rights.
He noted, however, that law enforcement often placed undue emphasis on Criminal Law to the neglect of rights-based obligations.
“We’re talking about the fact that the Police owe duties to citizens, but sometimes their responses to the issues of particular people, including the LGBTQ community, are discriminatory,” he said.
Professor Appiagyei-Atua urged the Police to uphold their constitutional duty to protect all people equally, without prejudice or bias.