For years, the Chief Inspector rank in the Ghana Police Service has been a bottleneck. As the highest rank in the “Other Ranks” category, promotion beyond it requires entry into the Police College to become an Assistant Superintendent of Police. Yet for many years, thousands of qualified Chief Inspectors remained stagnant, waiting for a limited number of slots. The 2026 Police Competitive Promotional Examination changed that narrative. It was the most inclusive, transparent, and competitive police college entrance exam in recent history. I write this as both a serving Chief Inspector and a candidate who sat for the examination.

On February 8, 2021, then-Inspector General of Police James Oppong-Boanuh directed all officers who had passed out of training on or before December 31, 2008, and had obtained university degrees by December 31, 2020, to submit their certificates by February 26, 2021, for a special exercise. Many officers were reluctant to comply. Those who did were rewarded with one step and three incremental jumps under a special amnesty.

On July 23, 2021, 1,842 personnel were promoted: 836 Inspectors became Chief Inspectors, 989 Sergeants became Inspectors, and 17 Corporals became Sergeants. Chief Inspectors, however, received no promotion to ASP, sparking lawsuits and morale issues. The result was predictable. The Chief Inspector rank became severely choked. Former IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare absorbed some degree holders through direct entry into the Police College as ASPs. But normal service promotions continued, and without crossing through the Police College, no Chief Inspector could become an ASP. The queue grew longer.

When IGP Christian Tetteh Yohunu assumed office, he moved to clear backlogged promotions. In early 2026, over 12,000 officers were promoted across various ranks. More than 1,000 officers were elevated to Chief Inspector, and Inspectors who showed exceptional and exemplary dedication to duty were also promoted to Chief Inspector. While this addressed stagnation at lower ranks, it compounded the congestion at the top of the Other Ranks structure. The question remained: how would these thousands of Chief Inspectors advance?

Initially, a Police Administration signal stated that only Chief Inspectors who had served more than five years in rank would be eligible for the 2026 PCPE. But after consultations, the Police Management Board and the Police Council agreed it was fairer to allow all Chief Inspectors to compete. This decision by IGP Yohunu was strategic. It promoted inclusiveness and ensured the best candidates would be selected on merit. It also incentivised officers with degrees, master’s, and PhDs to study harder, adding value to the Service. As a result, 7,133 Chief Inspectors nationwide were cleared to write the exam. I was one of them.

Before the exam, social media was awash with allegations. Some journalists claimed IGP Yohunu should allow old hands into the Police College without exams. Others alleged examination malpractice, with claims that papers were leaked and that amounts between GH¢70,000 and GH¢100,000 were being demanded for assistance.

The Police Administration responded firmly. At a briefing on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the National Police Training School, candidates were addressed by the Director-General of Human Resources, the Commandant of the Police College, ACP Baah, COP Mr Gariba, and examiners from the University of Cape Coast. POMAB dismissed the allegations as totally false and warned candidates not to pay money to anyone. UCC examiners emphasised that they deal with index numbers, but not names, and that question papers remained with UCC until exam day. The credibility of UCC, which had conducted such exams before, was at stake. IGP Yohunu personally assured the public that the administration does not have any hand in the selection process and that only performance will speak for candidates.

The PCPE was held on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at three centres in Accra. The paper was tough. It was highly standardised, testing a strong command of English and deep knowledge of the Police Manual. As a candidate who sat in that hall, I can attest: if the papers had leaked, candidates would have scored over 99%. Instead, the room was silent. Many of us left the hall unsure. The results confirmed the exam’s integrity.

The highest score was around 76%. Only 700 candidates initially met the 53% pass mark. About 80% of successful candidates were younger Chief Inspectors with first degrees, master’s degrees, and even PhDs. On May 1, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama granted amnesty to 300 additional Chief Inspectors who scored between 50% and 52%, bringing the total cadets to 1,000. IGP Yohunu announced they would be trained in two or three batches due to capacity.

The 2026 PCPE achieved three things. First, it proved that promotion can be based strictly on performance, not connections. The difficulty of the paper and the profile of successful candidates silenced allegations of malpractice. Second, by opening the exam to all Chief Inspectors, IGP Yohunu gave every qualified officer a fair chance.

This healed old wounds from the 2021 amnesty and restored morale. Third, the exam forced officers to read, improve their English, and master the Police Manual. The next generation of ASPs will enter the Police College as scholars and practitioners. The Police Administration, UCC, POMAB, and the Police Council deserve commendation. In a time when public trust is fragile, they delivered a process that was credible, competitive, and fair. To my fellow Chief Inspectors who passed: the real work begins now. To those who didn’t: study harder. The door is open, and merit is the only key.

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The author, Richard Atsu Doh, is a Chief Inspector of the Ghana Police Service.