By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohunu, has described the visit of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to the Ghana Police Headquarters as an unprecedented moment that will remain permanently engraved in the institutional memory of the Ghana Police Service and the nation’s security history.
Welcoming the Asantehene, senior officers, personnel of the service, the media, distinguished guests and members of the public, IGP Christian Yohunu said the occasion was marked by profound honour, humility and national pride.
He noted that words alone could not fully express the joy and privilege of hosting the Asante Kingdom at the Police Headquarters.
According to the IGP, the visit was not merely symbolic but historic, representing a rare convergence of traditional authority and modern state policing at the highest institutional level. He said the gathering provided an opportunity to revisit Ghana’s security history and re-examine the foundations of law, order and justice.
The IGP recalled that long before the introduction of European-style policing, African societies particularly the Asante Kingdom had well-establishing systems for maintaining law and order. He cited the indigenous policing system administered through Ashanti courts as one of the earliest organised forms of policing in the land, ensuring social order, peaceful dispute resolution and community safety through customs widely understood and respected by the people.
With the advent of colonial rule, he explained, these indigenous systems were not erased but blended into emerging state structures. This fusion of traditional authority with modern policing concepts, he said, shaped the policing framework Ghana practices today.
He lauded Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as a revered occupant of the Golden Stool who has not only preserved these traditional values but modernised and strengthened them.
He described the Asantehene’s support for the Ghana Police Service, particularly in the Ashanti Region, as fatherly and exemplary, recalling how Otumfuo has hosted successive Inspectors-General of Police and police leadership over the years, offering guidance, counsel and encouragement with open doors.
The IGP commended the Asantehene’s immense contribution to peacebuilding and conflict resolution, describing his mediation skills as exceptional. He likened Otumfuo to “the King Solomon of our time,” citing his wisdom, patience and moral authority in restoring calm where tensions once prevailed.
He highlighted Otumfuo’s leadership of a committee of eminent chiefs that successfully resolved the long-standing Dagbon chieftaincy crisis, restoring peace and stability to the area. He also referenced mediation efforts in Yendi and more recently in the protracted Bawku conflict, noting that the recommendations from these interventions continue to guide security operations and have significantly improved calm and community confidence.
The IGP emphasised that chiefs, as custodians of land, culture and customs, remain indispensable partners in maintaining law and order. He noted Otumfuo’s personal interventions in numerous land and chieftaincy disputes within the Ashanti Region, which have reduced violence and made policing more effective.
He reaffirmed that these actions align with the 1992 Constitution, which recognises chieftaincy as an integral part of Ghana’s governance system. The IGP also cited Otumfuo’s directive urging chiefs to take firm action against illegal mining in their jurisdictions as evidence of the continued relevance of traditional leadership in addressing modern security challenges.
The IGP concluded that the Asantehene’s presence at the Police Headquarters marked a turning point, challenging the service to re-embrace indigenous knowledge systems and deepen cooperation with traditional authorities nationwide.
