A total of 12,802 police officers have been promoted in the first six weeks of 2026, from January to the first week of February 2026, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno.

The elevation, which ranged from Lance Corporals to Chief Inspectors are a backlog of promotions with many dating back to the last five to 10 years. 

This was made known to the media after several requests to the IGP's Secretariat.

According to the IGP’s Secretariat, the promotions were mainly administrative and special recommendations that were in line with the Police Service Regulations, 2012 (Constitutional Instrument 76).

Regulation 37 of the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 76 makes it clear that promotion in the Ghana Police Service shall be by promotion examination, seniority and length of years served, subject to satisfactory performance assessment of good conduct; or special recommendation based on meritorious acts of bravery or valour in the prevention of crime or outstanding performance of duty.

Some media reports this week had suggested the recent promotions in the Police Service had been fraught with nepotism. 

However, the IGP’s Secretariat has dismissed such assertions, insisting that all the promotions were supervised by the various units, districts, divisional and regional commanders across all 25 police regions across the country.

“Information was sent to all the units, districts, divisional and regional commanders across all 25 police regions across the country to submit names of officers who were due for promotion, and that was how the administration arrived at that.

“Moreover, promotions in the Police Service cannot be solely done by the IGP as CI 76 makes that clear,” it said.

Breakdown of promotion 

The Secretariat said about 11,900 officers who fell within the lower ranks were elevated one step of their ranks while 600 of them were also based on special recommendations.

“So, for instance, some personnel who had remained in their ranks for more than the stipulated period of four years were all promoted to their next ranks. These were done to encourage everyone to work hard to gain due recognition.

"Our men are sacrificing a lot for this country. So they also deserve to be treated fairly, and that is what we are doing for everyone, no matter their background.

Petitions 

A lot of petitions had been received by the secretariat to look into unfair treatment that had been meted out to some of the officers. And after going through their cases, including those on interdiction for more than five years, they were acquitted and discharged and subsequently received their promotions due them. 

Others even petitioned the Secretariat to rectify the dates on their promotions which had pushed them back from their due time of promotions. The administration looked into all of those and corrected the anomalies. 

Some families of personnel who died in line of duty also petitioned the administration. Therefore, after going into their cases, we promoted all of them posthumously.