A major internal lobby within the Ghana Police Service, led by the woman widely regarded as the next Inspector General of Police, convinced Jubilee House to grant a two-year contract extension to the current IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, despite criticism from detractors of the Mahama administration.
Although some critics have accused the government of reversing its earlier stance on post-retirement contract extensions, new information shows that the Mahama-led Jubilee House reluctantly approved the extension after intense pressure from senior police officials.
At the centre of this lobbying effort was COP Lydia Yaako-Donkor, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and considered the most likely successor to IGP Yohuno.
IGP Yohuno contract
According to authoritative internal sources, COP Yaako-Donkor, supported strongly by Chief Inspector Angel Lolo (Esq.), the junior ranks’ representative on the Police Council, ‘button-holed Jubilee House’ and pushed for the extension, arguing that Yohuno deserved more time to complete key reforms.
The internal backing for Yohuno’s continued tenure stems from the belief within the Police Service that he has brought stability, unity, and renewed morale after what many officers described as a period of division and dissatisfaction under former IGP Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare.
Junior officers, in particular, consider Yohuno a transformational leader committed to improving welfare and reorganizing the institution after inheriting a system many described as broken.
His decisive posture on illegal mining (galamsey) and other national security concerns has cemented him as a results-oriented leader who, many argue, requires more time to implement long-term reforms.
Without the extension, Yohuno would have retired in December 2025, barely nine months after assuming office, due to his age. Officers who support him believe that such a short tenure would not have allowed him to complete crucial institutional restructuring or consolidate the gains made in the anti-galamsey fight.
Despite external criticism, the Presidency acted constitutionally, guided by Article 199(4), which empowers the President to grant post-retirement contract extensions to public officers.
Solomon Owusu, Director of Communications for the United Party (UP), clarified this position during an appearance on TV3’s New Day on November 26, 2025. He pointed out that the April 2, 2025 directive from the Presidency did not cancel contract extensions; it merely suspended them, leaving room for necessary exceptions such as this one.
According to him, the President’s decision is not only lawful but consistent with the discretion granted him under the Constitution.
Within the Police Service, the extension does little to change the hierarchy of likely successors, with COP Lydia Yaako-Donkor still positioned as the frontrunner whenever IGP Yohuno eventually exits in 2027. Her role in advocating for his continued stay is seen as both strategic and institutional, reflecting her commitment to ensuring stability until she, or another senior commissioner, formally takes over the leadership of the Service.