Director of Public Affairs at the Police Headquarters, DSP Cephas Arthur has lauded the appointment of Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan to the position of substantive Inspector General of Police, saying his tenure in office marks a symbol of perfect leadership for the Ghana Police Service.
Speaking in an interview with citifmonline.com, DSP Arthur described the appointment as “good news. It is naturally not the best of situations to have someone acting. He has demonstrated amply that he is capable of leading the service to the promised land. Everyone is happy.”
According the DSP Arthur, Mr Mohammed Alhassan’s appointment took effect on May 7th, 2013 in a letter dated June 14th and signed by Minister of the Interior, Kwesi Ahwoi.
President John Dramani Mahama in February, directed Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, who was then Deputy Inspector General of Police, to act as Inspector General of Police until further notice.
The decision followed his approval for Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye to commence his compulsory 90 days terminal leave from February 5, 2013.
In the opinion of DSP Cephas Arthur, the new Police boss has revolutionized the workings of the Police Service with some new and innovative schemes.
“A lot of the new things in the Police today are due to him. Police visibility and accessibility, the police shuttle service, newly constructed service with integrity and so on.
He brings a lot of rich experience. With the team of men he has, they make the perfect leadership.”
Biography of the New IGP, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan
Born in Accra, Ghana on 21 January 1954, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan did his early schooling at St. Martins Secondary School and T.I Ahamadiyya Secondary School. Later he graduated from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1979 and then obtained his Masters in Police Administration and Criminology from the University College of Cardiff, United Kingdom, in 1984.
Starting his professional career as a High School teacher in 1974, he later joined the Ghana Police Training School as an Instructor in 1979. Later he served as Special Assistant to the Regional Minister (Security Affairs) from 1982-1983. The teacher policeman was also a part-time lecturer (Police Administration) at the University of Ghana from 1987-1989 after which he was visiting Lecturer at the Armed Forces Staff College, Accra from 1998-1999.
Mr. Alhassan held various Command Positions in the Ghana Police Service, starting as an Assistant Staff Officer to Inspector-General of Police from 1981-1982 which was followed by a stint as Staff Instructor at Ghana Police College from 1984 to 1985. In 1985 he became the District Commander of Police, Tesano, followed by two more postings as District Commander of Police Adabraka and Suame. By 1991 he was Divisional Commander of Police Nkawkaw and then Hohoe. By 1994 he had risen to become Regional Commander of Police, Tema.
His career with the United Nations started in 1989 as Station Commander, UNCIVPOL/Khorixas, Namibia(UNTAG). The same year he became District Commander, UNCIVPOL/Otwijarango, Namibia(UNTAG). In 1997 he joined UNMIBH as Police Monitor, IPTF, and then became IPTF Weapons Inspector at Siroki Brijeg/Mostar. In 1999 he joined the UN headquarters in New York as a Civilian Police Officer. He was the Deputy Commissioner of Civpol at UNMIL from 2003 until March 2005 when he was promoted as the Civilian Police Commissioner. Alhassan specialises in community policing and has also written on the subject. He is married and has three children.