Appointment of COP George Akuffo Dampare as new IGP widely embraced by Ghanaians

The appointment of Commissioner of Police George Akuffo Dampare as the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) by President Akufo-Addo as the man to replace the outgoing IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh, has been widely embraced by the Ghanaian population.

In a statement signed by Eugene Arhin, director of communications at Jubilee House, the seat of the presidency, and dated 21 July 2021, President Akufo-Addo directed that the Inspector General of Police James Oppong Boanuh should “embark on terminal leave, with effect from Sunday, 1st August 2021, pending his retirement from the Police Service on Thursday, 7th October 2021”.

“Until a substantive Inspector General of Police is appointed, in accordance with the dictates of the constitution, President Akufo-Addo has asked Commissioner of Police George Akuffo Dampare, PhD, to serve as acting Inspector General of Police with effect from Sunday, 1st August 2021,” the statement further read.

Public acceptance

The directive by the president has been described by a cross-section of Ghanaians as a good decision which will go a long way to improve the Ghana Police Service, considering the rich experience that COP Dampare brings to his new office.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have been awash with congratulatory messages directed towards the acting IGP as members of the public wish him well in his new office.

Many others have commended the president for nominating COP Dampare for the high office of IGP.

Prisons Service appointment

In his statement, the president also asked the director general of the Prisons Service, Patrick Darko Missah, to go on terminal leave from Sunday 1 August 2021, with his retirement from the Service set to begin on Saturday 16 October.

The president further directed the deputy director seneral of the Prisons Service, Isaac Kofi Egyir, to act as director general of the Prisons Service, starting from Sunday 1 August 2021, until a new, substantive director general is appointed.

This, too, will be in accordance with the constitution.

Gratitude of the state

“President Akufo-Addo has conveyed, in person, his gratitude to both James Oppong-Boanuh and Patrick Darko Missah for their dedicated and meritorious services to the nation and to the Police and Prisons Services, respectively, and wished them the very best in their future endeavours,” the president’s statement read.

Wilberforce Asare

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