President Akufo-Addo has revealed that the extensive support and acclaim received by the newly sworn in IGP of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, during his Acting capacity has vindicated his decision in making him occupy the position.
Speaking at the swearing in ceremony of Dr Dampare at the Jubilee House, today, October 8, 2021, the President disclosed that following his request of former IGP Oppong Boanuh to “embark on terminal leave”, it became imperative to find a substantive IGP.
“It’s been an eventful two months since his appointment and the acting IGP has left me with little choice in the matter. His actions which have received widespread support and acclaim from the population vindicated the decision I made to entrust him with the mandate of heading the Police… It was thus with no degree of difficulty that I informed the council of state my decision to make his appointment a permanent one. On Friday 1st October 2021, I received a communication from the council, informing me of the positive outcome of its consultation. I congratulate Dr George Akuffo Dampare warmly on his appointment and with no hesitation say it is a well-deserved one”.
President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo noted that the most important things for the country is its “peace, safety of its people and preservation of its territorial integrity”. According to him, once these are guaranteed, “citizens can go about their normal lives in security”.
IGP Dampare tasked to be non-partisan
The President in his speech, assured Dr George Akuffo Dampare that his government will support him to deliver on his mandate of providing security to the people of Ghana. He, however, tasked the new IGP not to form any alliance with political parties, particularly the governing party.
“It is in everybody’s interest that the Police Service conducts itself as a principled, creditable instrument of accomplishing the executive’s duty to maintaining law and order in the state. Governments, in our body of politics, have term limits. In a multiparty democracy, parties win and lose power. It is good for the health of the nation that this should be so. This is why the Police Service under your leadership should not tie its wellbeing or otherwise to the fortunes of the ruling party of the day.
“As President, and together with you as Inspector General of Police, we need to cooperate to ensure that the Police service is left to focus on its core mandate and not be an appendage of the ruling party”.
President Akufo-Addo
In his acceptance speech, Dr Dampare vowed to, along with the support of Ghanaians and his colleague officers, “leave the Police service better than we came to meet it”.
“So that at the end of the day, if we leave the service and we are passing by and we see Police people doing excellent job, we will be proud and tell ourselves that yes we also contributed and as a result of that we are seeing a different Police service.”
Dr George Akuffo Dampare
Dr Dampare, who was appointed as acting IGP two months ago, becomes Ghana’s 23rd Police boss after the retirement of his predecessor, James Oppong-Boanuh.
The 51-year-old is the youngest IGP to hold the position in the Fourth Republic and the eighth youngest since the country gained independence.
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