By Prof. Kester Quist-Aphetsi, Chairman of CRITAC
Distinguished Global Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Expert.
It is deeply worrying that the IGP has come out to admit that mobile money fraud is being orchestrated from inside our prisons. This is not just an unfortunate situation; it is a complete failure of leadership and security oversight. Inmates are not supposed to carry phones, yet these fraud schemes continue day and night, robbing hardworking Ghanaians of their money.
This issue has gone on for far too long at Nsawam and other prisons. Prison officers facilitating or turning a blind eye to these crimes must be arrested, prosecuted, and dismissed without mercy. Period.
The IGP’s public statement without immediate decisive action shows a lack of seriousness. Leadership is not about making statements; it is about taking responsibility and enforcing the law. He must be condemned for such a casual admission and should be made to face a panel to account for his statement to send a disciplinary signal. We cannot run a country where criminals operate with freedom under the watch of those appointed to protect us.
I urge JM and his government not to let this matter go. Ghanaians deserve a system where security agencies are accountable and proactive. The IGP must be forced to complete investigations immediately, arrest and prosecute all officers involved, and restore public confidence in our prison and security services.
Enough is enough. Some things are not funny. The safety and trust of citizens are not negotiable.
Points to Note:
- Breach of National Security Confidence
The IGP’s public admission that mobile money fraud is being orchestrated from prisons exposes a serious national security and law enforcement failure.
Such statements undermine public confidence in the police and prison services, showing incapacity to control even confined criminals.
- Leadership Responsibility and Accountability
As the head of police administration, the IGP bears direct responsibility for internal security operations, including intelligence and proactive prevention.
Publicly announcing this without decisive corrective action amounts to abdication of leadership duty, normalising systemic crime.
- Inmates’ Access to Phones is Illegal
By law, inmates are not supposed to possess communication devices.
The statement confirms collusion and negligence by prison officers who facilitate this illegal access.
Failure to arrest, prosecute such officers fosters impunity and entrenched organised crime networks within prisons.
- Implications for National Economy and Citizen Safety
Momo fraud drains citizens’ finances, affects small businesses, and erodes trust in digital financial services.
Allowing this situation to persist reflects state indifference to public welfare, a position JM’s government cannot tolerate if it prioritises citizens’ protection.
- The IGP’s Statement Reflects Institutional Complicity
By merely describing the situation without announcing swift arrests and dismissals, the IGP’s statement implies police and prison service complicity or incompetence.
Such leadership conduct demands disciplinary measures to demonstrate zero tolerance for institutional failures.
- Need for Urgent and Transparent Investigation
JM and his government must demand that:
Full investigations are completed immediately.
All prison officers involved are arrested and prosecuted.
Public reports are issued on action taken, reforms implemented, and oversight mechanisms strengthened.
- Governance and Political Accountability
Failure to address this decisively will:
Erode JM’s government’s credibility on law and order.
Embolden organised criminals within and outside prison systems.
Undermine public trust in future criminal justice reform policies.
For JM and his government to maintain strong national security, good governance credibility, and public confidence, the IGP must be held accountable for dereliction of duty, and compelled to implement structural reforms in collaboration with the Prisons Service to eradicate mobile fraud operations from Ghanaian prisons permanently.
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