Court orders IGP to promote 40 chief inspectors left out of ‘degree amnesty’

The Court of Appeal has directed the Inspector-General of Police to begin the promotion process for 40 police chief inspectors who say they were unfairly excluded from a special promotion exercise for officers who obtained university degrees while in service.

Sitting in Kumasi, a three-member panel unanimously upheld an appeal led by Chief Inspector Christopher Okpattah, overturning a High Court decision that had rejected the officers’ claim.

The appellate court ruled on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, finding that allowing some officers to benefit from the exercise while excluding the 40 amounted to an injustice.

The court ordered the police administration to complete the promotions within six months and to pay all benefits and entitlements connected to the upgraded ranks, in line with the ruling.

The case stems from a special “amnesty” process that covered officers who graduated from police training schools by 2008 and upgraded their education to a first degree between 2008 and 2020 while still serving.

The officers said that, despite 25 to 30 years of service, they were sidelined while junior colleagues who met the same degree criteria received rank upgrades in a July 2021 implementation of the policy.

They argued the decision affected their pay progression and morale, particularly because some junior officers were elevated to ranks that placed them on similar footing.

The Kumasi High Court had previously dismissed the case, holding that a chief inspector does not qualify for automatic promotion simply by acquiring a higher academic qualification.

The Court of Appeal, however, took a different view, focusing on the unequal treatment of officers within the same policy window.

In its defence, the police administration maintained that the IGP’s promotion powers only extend up to the rank of Chief Inspector, based on recommendations from the relevant advisory board. It said promotions into the senior officer cadre, including the route to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), fall under the Police Council and involve additional requirements, including competitive processes.

The police also argued that the special degree-linked exercise was an administrative move to meet operational needs and did not automatically guarantee entry into the Police Academy or elevation into the senior ranks.

When they sued in 2023, the 40 chief inspectors sought court orders compelling the police leadership to promote them under the same framework used for others, grant them direct entry to the Police Academy, and restore income they say they lost because the promotions were withheld.

With the appeal now decided in their favour, the IGP has been instructed to take immediate steps to implement the promotions and report compliance through the structure ordered by the court.