Some senior officers of the Ghana Police Service are angry over attempts by the government to absorb Community Protection Assistants under the National Youth Employment Programme into the police, The Enquirer has reported. The paper claims that while some senior officers are quiet over the motive behind le decision, others said that the attempt was purely to use such personnel for "special operation" during the December eIections. Senior police officers who allegedly spoke to The Enquirer are of the view that the move is likely to affect the service because recruitment would not be open as it used to be. According to the paper a letter obtained from the vault of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment (MMYE) indicates that the CPAs are to be considered for recruitment into the Police Service. The letter, dated March 10, 2007 and signed by Nana Akomea, stated that some of the assistants who had served for more than one year now possessed the pre-requisite qualifications to serve in the security system of the nation and must therefore be considered. It further said that such consideration would enable the police service to support the implementation of the NYEP and also secure the future of the youth. The police service upon receiving the letter quickly wrote to all Regional, Division, District and Unit Commanders ordering them to furnish the headquarters with recommendations of the assistants they think should absorbed into the service. However, The Enquirer gathered that most of the commanders were infuriated at the directive issued on March 19, this year by the Director-General, Human Resource Department of Ghana Police Service, COP Joana Osei¬Poku, because the commanders had no prior notice of the exercise. Again, the paper learnt that the officers were angry because the duration would not give them the chance to select quality materials for the service. Apart from that, the commanders claim that there were no consultations between them and the very top hierarchy of the Police service. "This move is a clear case of imposition of personnel on the service because such steps can only be taken when we the commanders are consulted," one commander said. The commander said he was concerned about discipline in the service because those assistants may think that they are in the service because of somebody. "The field for recruitment should be made even for all qualified Ghanaians and not the kind of thing about take place now," he said. Nana Akomea when contacted by The Enquirer over the story said that there is no ill motive behind the directive. He said that the move was to offer the youth with little experience, an opportunity to work in the Police service. He said that the decision was arrived at to erase the perception that the assistants were a parallel security force for the government. "My brother we all know the kind of names that were given to the assistants and that is what we are trying to change and nothing else. Those under the teaching and the nursing modules are expected to gain admission into teacher and nursing training schools and there is nothing wrong with that," he stated. Nana Akomea said that the recruitment exercise was not going to be a wholesale thing but for those who have exhibited good character and displayed high sense of duty. Source: Thw Enquirer