Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno has addressed growing public concern over his recent comments during a visit to the conflict-prone Bawku municipality, clarifying that his remarks were misinterpreted and taken out of context.
Speaking to the media, the IGP explained that his message to the youth in Bawku was not a promise of automatic recruitment into the Ghana Police Service but rather an assurance that they would be allowed to participate in the normal recruitment process if they laid down their arms.
“The assurance we gave to them was that ‘put down your weapons, and when it comes to recruitment, we will give you the advantage to participate, go through the normal process.’
“I didn’t say anything wider to maybe show the requirement, but it looks as if the media is reporting something different; they will go through the normal process,” Yohuno said.
He emphasized that recruitment processes remain centralized at the national level, and while this has often hindered efforts to achieve a proper regional balance, there is a growing commitment to ensure inclusivity and representation.
“Many times we have recruitment centralised at the national headquarters, and then we are not able to get the full benefit of a regional balance of people being recruited. I have seen that there is a desire to get the job done,” he stated.
The IGP also acknowledged the valuable contributions of police officers who hail from Bawku, noting that their presence in the service has had a positive impact.
“We have a lot of people in the police service now who came from this area, and we realise that they have helped a lot in the discharge of their duties as officers,” he added.
His clarification follows public backlash after a video surfaced showing him interacting with locals in Bawku, sparking debates about fairness, regional bias, and the potential politicization of police recruitment.
