Ghana Police Service Salary Structure
The Ghana Police Service is the national police service of Ghana and it is the principal police force in Ghana, responsible for upholding law and order in the country. The Police Service has its headquarters in Accra and its motto is Unity and Duty.
The service has its roots in the Gold Coast Constabulary formed in 1853 by the British colonial administration of the Gold Coast, which later became Ghana in 1957.
The Ghana Police Service (GPS) was established in 1948 and was formally inaugurated on October 15, 1951 as the Gold Coast Police Force by the then British Colonial Government.
The Force was subsequently renamed Ghana Police Service in 1957 and has since grown into a highly disciplined, efficient, motivated and well-organized Force which provides security to lives and property of the people of Ghana.
In addition to ensuring good order and discipline in society, the Force also performs other functions relating to investigations of serious crime, traffic control, narcotics control, border control, immigration control, etc.
Ghana Police Service salary and allowance rates, conditions of service and privileges under which the members of the Ghana Police Service work were gazetted on October 22, 2009 by President John Evans Atta Mills under the powers conferred on him by section 70(1) (b) of the Police Service Act 1978 (Act 440).
He was duly authorised to do so by the National Police Council in accordance with section 70(2) of Act No.440.
Ghana Police Service ranks (lowest to highest)
- Constable
- Lance-Corporal
- Corporal
- Sergeant
- District Sergeant Major
- Regional Sergeant Major
- Inspector
- Chief Inspector
- Assistant Superintendent
- Deputy Superintendent
- Superintendent
- Chief Superintendent
- Assistant Commissioner
- Deputy Commissioner
- Commissioner
- Deputy Inspector General
- Inspector General of Police
Duties of the Ghana Police
The following are duties performed by the Ghana Police Service:
- Protects life’s and properties of citizens
- Detects and prevents crimes
- Apprehend and prosecute offenders
- Maintain order, peace and tranquility, etc.
Ghana Police Service salary structure
With the Ghana Police service and every security service in Ghana, experience and qualification speaks alot when it comes to salary. The higher your qualification, the higher your salary and the more you gain experience and your rank rises, then more your salary increases.
Experience
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An officer with less than two (2) years of experience earns about GHS 1,490 monthly. An Officer with experience between two to five years earns about GHS 1,990 monthly. Other Officers with experience levels between five to ten years earn about GHS 2,950.
Officers with experience between ten to
fifteen years earn about GHS 3,950.
Averagely, salaries double when they hit the ten years experience mark. Oficers with experience of fifteen to twenty years takes home salaries of about GHs 4,240.
Gender
Female Police Officers are paid less than male officers. Averagely, male officers are paid about GHS 3,040 while female officers are paid GHS 2,680.
Education
The higher the educational qualification, the higher the pay. An officer with a high school level of education is paid about GHS 1,700. A
Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of about GHS 2,670. A Bachelors Degree holder earns an average of GHS 4,480.
Others
Other things like special skill and location can also increase salary of a police officer in Ghana.
Do police trainees get paid in Ghana?
A graduate recruit in the Ghana Police Service earns more than an regular officer with WASSCE or SSCE. The higher your rank, the higher your pay. The Salary of the Ghana Police is not made public, however the least ranking officer in the Ghana Police takes an average salary of GHS 1,400.
Benefits Police Officers enjoy in Ghana
- Free health care services for officers and their families at designated state owned hospitals across the nation to the tune of Ghc12,500.
- Annual leave of twenty eight (28) working days and casual leave.
- Sick leave (depending on doctor’s recommendation).
- Accommodation at the Police residential quarters.
- Insurance cover of about GhC50,000 in the event of death while he/she is in the line of duty. If the officer dies accidentally or naturally while on active duty the family gets a Ghc25,000 package.
- If an officer suffers a permanent disability in the discharge of duty will also be entitled to GhC25, 000.
- State-of-the-art equipment to enhance their performance and safety.
- Granting of loans from Police welfare fund to enable officers to cover projects like housing and starting up businesses.
- Ensuring that officers due for promotion are duly promoted without bias and paid their entitlement accordingly.
Requirements needed for employment into the Ghana Police Service
Applicants interested in getting employed into the Ghana Police service must follow all the requirements below to be eligible:
- Must be a Ghanaian citizen.
- Must have no criminal background.
- Must be a graduate with a degree, HND, Diploma or WASSCE certificate.
- Must have completed the compulsory National Service.
- Must be between 21 to 28 at the time of applying.
- Must have a good character.
- Must be fit with no medical condition.
- Must possess a minimum height of 1.73m (5ft8inches) for males and 1.63m (5ft4inches) for females.
How to apply to Ghana Police Service
The application form is online. To access it, you purchase a voucher for from GCB Bank to obtain a unique serial number and log on to the application portal on the GPS website and apply. Interested applicants can apply when the portal is opened.
Conclusion
It is evident that the Ghana police service has a lot of work to do to establish itself as a credible and respected institution.
With salaries that pale in comparison with other jobs, it will be hard for them to attract and retain quality people.
It is time for the Ghanaian government to take a look at their police salary structure and make some changes.
