The Ghana Police Service yesterday held a solemn ceremony to honour 20 personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2025.
The names of six officers were permanently engraved on the Police Wall of Honour at the service's Cenotaph, while the remaining 14 fallen officers were inscribed into the Memorial Book (Roll) of Honour.
President John Dramani Mahama joined the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohunu, members of the Police Council, and senior government officials at the annual Police Memorial Day event to lay wreaths in tribute to the fallen officers.
Wreath-laying and flag-raising ceremonies were held simultaneously across all Police Regions.
Generally, officers who die while performing lawful duties are eligible for consideration. A panel chaired by the Director-General of Welfare selects honourees, subject to approval by the Police Management Board based on criteria set out in Service Instruction (S.I.) No. 63.
Disqualifications include death by suicide, facing pending misconduct charges, death resulting from gross negligence, or being under the influence of alcohol or narcotics during duty.
The Wall of Honour is dedicated to officers who perished through adversarial or combat-related actions.
The Memorial Book (Roll) of Honour records the names of officers who died in the course of lawful duty but not through direct combat.
Background
Police Memorial Day gives special recognition to officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, whether in Ghana or abroad, including on peacekeeping missions.
President John Dramani Mahama laying a wreath in tribute to the fallen officers
The day recognises the significant contributions and sacrifices made by police officers, a profession globally accepted as sacrificial and exposed to extreme dangers.
The concept, conceived some years ago, was first observed on November 24, 2014.
Following the construction of a permanent Cenotaph, the first formal ceremony was held on November 28, 2016.
The Police Administration has, since 2020, permanently set the day as November 2 each year.
Commitment
The Inspector-General of Police reaffirmed the service's commitment to supporting bereaved families through existing statutory remedies, which include financial compensation, official police burials, and, in exceptional cases, posthumous promotions.
In the days leading up to the memorial, the Police Administration visits families of officers who died within the preceding five years to present a token of support.
The commemoration would be climaxed this weekend with special religious services for officers of Islamic, Adventist, and other Christian faiths.
The ceremony highlights the maxim that "a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for," a principle cited as the reason for the consistently high-level participation by the nation's leadership.
