This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ACCRA 000419 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INL FOR JLYLE, EROESS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AFIN SNAR GH
SUBJECT: GHANA'S 2005 INL END USE MONITORING REPORT 
 
REF: A. STATE 222564 
     ¶B. ACCRA 00387 
 
Per reftel A, post submits the following end-use monitoring 
report. 
 
¶A. RESOURCES: 
¶1. (U) At the end of calendar year 2005, INL rolled over a 
total of $11,388.45 in funds subobligated to Ghana's 
Narcotics Control Board (NCB) under the FY00 LOA and 
subsequent amendments between the GOG and USG. Unliquidated 
balances of $37 for a Customs, Excise & Preventive Service 
project; $51,147 for the Ghana Police Service Internal 
Affairs project; and $200,000 from the Ghana Police Service 
training project still remain from our FY03 allotment. 
 
COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM 
¶2. (U) In 2002, the Embassy donated 22 bicycles to the 
Community Policing Unit at the Cantonments Police Station in 
Accra. In August 2004, the Embassy donated an additional 20 
bicycles to this unit. 
 
¶3. (U) In February 2005, the Embassy handed over another 20 
bicycles to the Ghana Police Service's Community Policing 
Unit in Kumasi. 
 
BASIC POLICING SKILLS PROGRAM 
¶4. (U) In October 2005, ICITAP police instructors donated 
equipment used in their 14-week Basic Policing Skills course 
to the Police Training College in Tesano, Accra. 
 
The USG equipment donated included the following items: 
 - 1 Hewlett Packard Desktop Computer/Monitor 
 - 1 Hewlett Packard Deskjet 5500 Color Printer/Copier/Fax 
 - 1 Hewlett Packard laptop 
 - 3 Hewlette Packard digital cameras 
 - 1 Epson PowerPoint Projector 
 - 1 APC Battery Back-up 
 - 12 Airsoft Training Guns 
 - 2 Easels with whiteboards 
 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM SUPPORT UNIT (DOVVISU) 
¶5. (U) In 2002, the Embassy donated three computers and one 
server to Ghana Police Service's Women and Juvenile Unit 
(WAJU).  In 2005, GPS renamed this unit the Domestic 
Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVISU), but it still has 
responsibility for crimes targeting women and children. 
 
POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (PIPS) UNIT 
¶6. (U) In February 2005, the Embassy donated four HP Compaq 
dx2000MT computers, and one HP LaserJet printer to GPS's 
Monitoring and Inspections Unit.  This unit was later 
renamed the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards 
Unit. 
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD (NCB) 
¶7. (U) In 2005, the Embassy donated no new equipment to the 
Narcotics Control Board (NCB). From 2002 to 2004, the 
Embassy procured and handed over the following items to NCB 
(see reftel B): 
 
  -    1 voice stress analyzer (2002) 
  -    1 Ghost infinite mobile cellular transmitter (2002) 
-    2 Suzuki motorcycles (2003) 
  -    8 crash helmets (2003) 
  -    1 KIA van with surveillance equipment (2003) 
-    1 covert gym bag for surveillance (2003) 
  -    2 itemizers (2003) 
  -    1 Suzuki motorbike (2004) 
  -    4 Suzuki motorcycles (2004) 
-    15 tactical vests (2004) 
  -    10 standard handcuffs (2004) 
  -    1 laptop computer (2004) 
-    1 InFocus projector (2004) 
  -    1 Kodak Easyshare digital camera (2004) 
  -    2 Gavmin personal navigators (2004) 
-    6 Motorola radios (2004) 
  -    4 training guns (2004) 
  -    1 tripod (2004) 
 
¶B. PROCEDURES: 
¶8. Post retained statements from NCB Executive Secretary 
Col. Isaac Akuoko of the NCB signed in 2004 acknowledging 
receipt and proper use of all equipment donated (see reftel 
B). 
 
¶C. STATUS: 
COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM 
¶9. (SBU) The Embassy's inspection of the Cantonments program 
showed that only four of the 42 bicycles donated are being 
used for regular patrols, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 
to 2 p.m. 
 
¶10. (U) Regarding the Embassy's February 2005 donation to 
the Kumasi unit, ASP John Quaye told the Embassy that these 
bicycles are still in storage and have never been deployed 
because the GPS has not yet trained personnel to man bicycle 
patrols. 
 
BASIC POLICING SKILLS PROGRAM 
¶11. (U) The equipment from the Fall 2005 ICITAP course is 
still present at the Police Training College in Tesano and 
was being used for training 30 officers when ICITAP 
instructors Bob Coburn and Darryl McEachern arrived on Feb. 
¶6. It will be used for the ongoing course, and another one 
immediately following it. 
 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM SUPPORT UNIT (DOVVISU) 
¶12. (U) All the USG equipment is still in use at the DOVVISU 
re gional offices at the Ministries Police Station in Accra. 
DOVVISU maintains the equipment through an outside 
contractor. 
 
POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (PIPS) UNIT 
¶13. (U) PolOff observed PIPS officers using three of the 
computers to track human rights abuses and complaints of 
misconduct. PIPS uses the fourth computer as a server to 
permit file sharing by the unit's staff and to store the 
unit's personnel records. The computers are well-maintained 
by an outside vendor, and PIPS obtains replacement printer 
cartridges from the GPS' Quartermaster as needed. 
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD 
¶14. (SBU) The NCB required several days' notice, and it took 
two visits to the agency to observe the KIA van. NCB agents 
had difficulty opening its side door and admitted that it 
had not been used for an investigation for some time. 
 
¶15. (U) NCB Executive Secretary Col. Isaac Akuoko said NCB 
uses three of the motorcycles regularly, and two are held at 
NCB's offices in reserve. He said NCB is able to obtain a 
mechanic's services without difficulty when needed, and all 
the motorcycles are operating without problems. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Two other motorcycles also were not present at 
NCB.  According to Akuoko, NCB handed these over to the 
counternarcotics units of the Customs, Excise & Preventive 
Service (CEPS) and GPS. The handcuffs also were in use in 
the field at the time of post's inspection. 
 
¶17. (SBU) NCB reported that it does not use the global 
positioning system (GPS) personal navigators because they 
lack satellite service.  Additionally, although NCB agent 
Ben Ndego attended training in Washington, D.C. to use the 
voice stress analyzer, NCB has never had occasion to use the 
device in interrogations.  Finally, the Motorola radios are 
only used for training purposes because they are so large 
that they reportedly attract too much attention during 
counternarcotics operations. 
 
¶18. (SBU) PolOff was unable to observe the covert gym bag, 
the ghost phone, or the digital camera.  NCB said these 
items are stored at its Operations Center at Kotoka 
International Airport, but they said an Embassy visit would 
disrupt their operations. 
 
¶D. PROBLEMS: 
COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM 
¶19. (U) Thirteen bicycles are broken down, primarily from 
lack of chain lubricant, worn out brakes, and other parts 
difficult to replace in Ghana. PolOff observed these 
bicycles stacked in a heap, one on top of another, in a 
Quartermaster's shed behind GPS Headquarters. Chief 
Inspector Kwame Tawiah, the commanding officer of the unit, 
said he planned to move the bicycles to a secure location 
attached to a police station in the Ridge area of Accra 
where they could be better maintained. Another 20 bicycles 
were in perfect working order but are stored at the Police 
Service Workshop. The remaining five are still with officers 
who formerly belonged to the unit. Tawiah said he has called 
for their return. 
 
¶20. (SBU) The unit's current patrol members said many 
officers asked to be transferred because patrolling is 
physically demanding and especially difficult in black 
police uniforms under the sun. 
 
BASIC POLICING SKILLS PROGRAM 
¶21. (U) No problems were reported with any of the equipment 
donated in 2005. 
 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM SUPPORT UNIT (DOVVISU) 
¶22. (U) No problems were reported with any of the equipment 
donated. 
 
POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (PIPS) UNIT 
¶23. (U) PIPS officers said a single printer is inadequate to 
support a unit of six senior officers and up to 50 
constables, inspectors and lance corporals. The lack of 
working air conditioning in PIPS' offices leads the computer 
attached to the printer to malfunction frequently. PIPS 
officers said a photocopier would greatly reduce the demands 
on the printer, but they do not have the budget to purchase 
one. 
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD 
¶24. (U) The NCB has no budget for the estimated $2,000 
monthly fees associated with keeping the itemizers 
replenished with consumables. Both NCB and Ghana 
International Airways (GIA) have complained to post that one 
of the itemizers is no longer being used at Kotoka 
International Airport for this reason.  Post is exploring 
whether INL funds from prior years can be used to replace 
the consumables to address this concern although NCB is 
supposed to be responsible for consumables under its Letter 
of Agreement with the USG. 
 
¶25. (U) NCB requested the donation of another vehicle 
designed for transporting narcotics-related suspects to 
court. Col. Akuoko said NCB had to transport as many as 26 
drug mules to court on a single day in a vehicle that cannot 
seat more than five.  He expressed concern that his agents 
may be attacked from behind as these vehicles have no bars 
to protect them from passengers. (Comment: Post believes 
donating another vehicle would be an unwise use of USG 
resources.  We have seen little evidence that the KIA van we 
donated has been used to conduct impactful surveillance 
during the past 18 months.  Furthermore, NCB would not agree 
to lend it to GPS to surveill suspects in Ghana's biggest 
seizure of the year. End comment.) 
 
¶E. IMPACT: 
COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM 
¶26. (SBU) Despite the USG's donations of 40 bicycles to 
encourage community policing in Accra and Kumasi, these 
programs are "quite dormant" in the words of its former 
commanding officer. The units have suffered from staff 
recruitment and retention problems as well as poor bicycle 
maintenance.  The Inspector General of Police Patrick 
Acheampong pledged to Community Policing officials that he 
will provide 12 to 16 new recruits this month to rejuvenate 
the bicycle patrols in both cities. (Comment: Acheampong 
took this decision after the DOJ's Eric Beinhardt inquired 
about the program's vitality when they met in September 
¶2005.  End comment.) 
 
¶27. (SBU) The unit's former commanding officer told PolOff 
said the program dwindled despite the equipment donations 
because the IGP's predecessor had no enthusiasm for 
community policing.  Tawiah also said that because bicycle 
patrolling is so physically demanding, the unit must rely on 
volunteers. 
 
¶28. (SBU) The unit's current patrol members said that 
several officers were redeployed from their unit to train 
for a basketball competition between various security 
agencies. 
 
BASIC POLICING SKILLS PROGRAM 
¶29. (U) In January 2006 the GPS adapted this training and 
used four of the ICITAP graduates to train 134 cadets in 
Winneba and Bolgatanga. 
 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM SUPPORT UNIT (DOVVISU) 
¶30. (U) DOVVISU uses this equipment to track the cases and 
statistics reported to the Embassy for both its annual 
reports on Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons. 
 
POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (PIPS) UNIT 
¶31. (U) In January 2006, Assistant Commissioner Vincent 
Dzakpata, PIPS' commanding officer, provided statistics and 
updates on misconduct and human rights abuse cases to the 
Embassy for its annual Human Rights Report. 
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD 
¶32. (SBU) NCB discusses ongoing investigations throughout 
the year with PolOff and the Drug Enforcement Agency in 
Lagos.  In 2004, NCB used the KIA van and the surveillance 
equipment to arrest traffickers of 580 kg of cocaine, 
described at the time as the largest drug seizure in West 
Africa on record.  Airlines representatives report that 
NCB's vehicles and one itemizer are being used regularly. 
However, in 2005 NCB primarily arrested couriers, which did 
not require the use of surveillance equipment. When post 
requested that NCB provide the van and surveillance 
equipment to assist GPS with the November 2005 case 
involving the seizure of 588 kg of cocaine, Akuoko 
restricted his offer of assistance to a few radios and a 
car.  He told PolOff that he does not want GPS to develop a 
"parallel organization" with the same capabilities as NCB. 
 
¶F. PROGRAM CHANGES: 
¶33. No program changes are warranted for DOVVISU or PIPS. 
 
COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM 
¶34. (U) Any additional assistance or replacement parts to 
this unit should be contingent on the implementation of the 
IGP's staffing plan and his commitment to keep the unit 
operational. 
 
BASIC POLICING PROGRAM 
¶35. (U) This program has the potential to transform the 
Ghana Police, reduce human rights abuses and lead to human 
trafficking investigations and prosecutions.  It also plays 
a significant role in helping the Mission to achieve its 
human rights and law enforcement cooperation goals.  The 
current IGP is very interested in this training and has 
fully supported it.  The USG should continue to assess if 
the expansion of this program requires more resources. 
 
NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD 
¶36. (U) In August 2005, the USG signed an agreement to 
provide $200,000 in additional training and assistance to 
NCB and its sister law enforcement agencies.  NCB agreed to 
improve interagency cooperation.  Post must continue to 
raise its concern over lack of coordination and cooperation 
between the NCB and Ghana Police on counternarcotics with 
the relevant GOG officials and track progress on this front. 
Post does not recommend providing additional equipment to 
the NCB until it has fully accounted for the previously 
donated items.