Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has called for legislation to ensure a fixed tenure of office for heads of security agencies, particularly the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
His remarks come in response to an injunction filed by IMANI Africa and Professor Kwesi Aning, which sought to prevent President John Dramani Mahama from dismissing the IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Despite the legal challenge, the Jubilee House has confirmed Dr. Dampare’s removal as part of ongoing security sector reforms under the Mahama administration.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Channel One Newsroom on Thursday, March 13, Toobu argued that the current process of appointing and dismissing security heads is often politically influenced.
He emphasized that implementing a fixed tenure would ensure stability and continuity within the Ghana Police Service, regardless of changes in government.
“If the Ghanaian people think that this way of doing things is not the best, let’s try to find a security of tenure for the Inspector General of Police. We will go by new legislation, we will go by some repeals of laws, we will go by constitutional amendment to see what we can do by a new line of thinking, a new legislation to appoint and disappoint. Probably by then, we will be establishing some security of tenure for the IGP.
“I will support the idea that we should get to a point as our democracy grows, that these heads of security agencies should have some level of security of tenure as they are appointed,” he stated.