By: Belinda Nketia
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has called for enhanced training for police officers to deepen their understanding of local customs and cultural awareness of the people they protect.
In his address at the guard of honor parade at the fore court Ghana Police Service Headquarters in Accra on Jan. 6, 2025, Otumfuo shared that policing is most effective when law enforcement aligns with societal values.
“Let officers be trained to understand the customs of the people they protect,” he said.
The Asantehene explained that Ghana’s communities historically relied on strong cultural norms to maintain order long before formal policing structures existed, and those values remain relevant today.
“If law alone can save society, then countries with the thickest law books will have no prisons and problems at all,” he said.
According to Otumfuo, law enforcement is forced to compensate when cultural values weaken, placing excessive pressure on the police to control behavior that should already be socially discouraged.
He urged closer collaboration between traditional authorities and the police, particularly in community policing efforts. He described culture as a preventative force that addresses wrongdoing before it escalates into crime.
The Asantehene said integrating cultural understanding into police training would improve cooperation, reduce tension and enhance respect between officers and the communities they serve.
The guard of honour parade formed part of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s official visit to the Ghana Police Service Headquarters in Accra on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, following an invitation by the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno.
The event brought together senior police commanders, officers and traditional leaders to reaffirm cooperation between the Ghana Police Service and custodians of culture in promoting peace, security and public trust.
