A group of police officers, including members of an arrest team involved in a major narcotics interdiction in the Volta Region, have raised concerns over what they describe as an unjust and demoralising promotion process that allegedly sidelined officers who played frontline roles in a high-profile operation.

The aggrieved officers contend that despite their direct involvement, intelligence work and operational risks that led to the arrest of a suspect and the seizure of narcotic substances valued at over one million Ghana cedis, their names were conspicuously absent from a recent promotion list.

They claim some officers who did not take part in the operation were instead promoted, leaving those who “did the work” overlooked.

According to the officers, the issue has broader implications for morale and operational effectiveness within the Service, particularly for personnel assigned to high-risk duties. They are therefore calling on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the promotion process to ensure fairness, transparency and due recognition of merit.

Details of the operation

The officers cite a major case handled on January 23, 2026, as a clear example of contributions that have allegedly gone unrecognised.

A situational report from the Volta Regional Police Command indicates that at about 3:25 p.m. on that day, intelligence received through the Regional Staff Officer, DSP Felix Danku, pointed to a white American Ford station wagon suspected to be conveying narcotic substances from the Dzolokpuita direction towards Ho.

The information was promptly relayed to the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (DLEU), the Police Intelligence Directorate (PID) and the Regional Criminal Investigations Department (RCID), after which teams from the various units were deployed for surveillance, monitoring and arrest.

At about 3:30 p.m., a team of four officers led by Detective Chief Inspector David Afriyie spotted the vehicle approaching a police checkpoint at OLA Top in Ho. The vehicle bore Ghana Health Service inscriptions. When officers signalled the driver to stop, he reportedly refused, rammed into the police barrier and sped off.

Through coordinated efforts with a second team led by Detective Sergeant Francis Doe and four other officers, the suspect—identified as Godsway Kwaku Dogbey, aged 38—was arrested near Tarso Hotel in Ho.

The vehicle, an American Ford station wagon with registration number GV 2460-14 and belonging to the Ghana Health Service in Ho, was impounded and taken to the Regional Headquarters.

A search conducted in the presence of the suspect and an independent witness uncovered 26 maxi sacks containing 2,028 oval-shaped wraps of compressed dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. The substances were estimated to have a street value of approximately GH¢1,022,500.00.

The suspect was placed in police custody, while the exhibits—including the 26 sacks of suspected narcotics and the vehicle—were retained for further investigations. Detective Chief Inspector David Afriyie was listed as the officer in charge of the case.

Allegations of overlooked merit

The officers say operations of this nature require extensive intelligence gathering, coordination and personal risk, and argue that such contributions should be a key consideration in promotions.

They insist their complaint is not driven by bitterness but by a desire for fairness and institutional integrity.

“We are not against promotions,” some officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We are only asking that those who were on duty, who had the intelligence, and who carried out the arrest be recognised accordingly.”

Regional commander responds

In response to the concerns, the Volta Regional Police Commander, in a phone conversation, said he was presented with a promotion list from a higher authority and sought clarification to ensure that all deserving officers were captured.

According to him, he specifically asked whether all rightful names had been included and was assured that the list was comprehensive.

Despite this assurance, the affected officers maintain that the outcome suggests otherwise and are urging the Police Administration, led by the IGP, to conduct an independent review of the promotion process related to the case.

They say a transparent investigation and corrective action, where necessary, would help restore confidence among officers and reinforce the principle that merit and sacrifice remain central to advancement within the Ghana Police Service.