By Gifty Amofa
Accra, Jan. 23, GNA – The Court of Appeal on Thursday ordered the Ghana Police Service to rectify the error that denied promotion to 40 Police Chief Inspectors in 2021.
In a unanimous decision, the three‑member panel presided over by Justice Eric Baah directed the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General and the Police Management Board to grant the applicants promotion and all entitlements within six months.
The ruling followed an appeal after the High Court in February 2025 dismissed a suit by the officers over claims of unfair denial of promotion.
The officers, who had served between 25 and 30 years, argued they were unjustly excluded from a special promotion amnesty exercise that advanced degree holders who earned their qualifications before 2020.
They contended that junior officers from Constable to Inspector benefitted from the exercise, while they were congratulated but denied direct entry into the Police Academy, a prerequisite for promotion to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
Their claims included seeking direct promotion into the Academy and compensation for income lost due to stalled career progression.
Justice Frederick Tetteh, in his judgement on February 5, 2025, held that the plaintiffs failed to prove their case on the preponderance of probability, stating that higher academic qualification alone did not entitle them to promotion.
He explained that entry into the Police Academy was either by competitive examination or special recommendation in line with Police Service Regulations.
The High Court encouraged the plaintiffs to continue writing the entrance examination as they might find favour in the future.
After the Court of Appeal’s judgement, some of the officers expressed joy while others showed relief.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey