Dr. George Dampare was recently now sworn in as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) by President Akufo Addo.
In July of 2021, President Akufo Addo appointed Dr George Dampare as Acting IGP, to take over from Mr James Oppong-Bonuah pending the appointment of a substantive IGP. What can Ghanaians expect from Dampare as IGP?
According to President Akufo Addo, over the last two months, Dr Dampare has proven himself worthy of the position. He, therefore, had no option other than to confirm him as the substantive Head of the Police Service.
“It’s been an eventful two months since his appointment, and the Acting IGP has left me with very little choice in the matter. His actions, which have received widespread support and acclaim from the population, vindicates the decision I made to entrust him with the mandate of managing the police, albeit in a temporary capacity,” President Akufo Addo said.
ALSO READ: A Profile of COP George Dampare – The Newly Appointed Inspector General of Police
Dampare as IGP – Is the appointment is relevant?
Dr George Dampare being sworn in as the substantive IGP by Akufo Addo makes him Ghana’s 23rd Inspector General and the youngest IGP to ascend the position since the coming into being of the fourth republic.
During the swearing-in ceremony, President Akufo Addo advised Dr Dampare and the entire police service ‘not to be yoked’ or be influenced by the ruling party.
“As President, together with you as the 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,” Akufo Addo said.
“I envisage the development of a Police Service that goes above its function of protecting ordinary citizens, confident, that there will be no interference from the powers that be. As newly sworn IGP, I believe strongly that in you, we can help promote the development of the nation governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights with the police being at the front line of this endeavour.”
With Dampare as IGP, security experts believe he has a good track record of enforcing the law irrespective of one’s status in society.
Professor Kwesi Aning said, “Dr Dampare, on the Spintex road, on several occasions has stopped people, important people, who have sought to flout traffic regulations because they thought they were in more of a hurry than those who were in trotros.”
Dr Dampare has also made a lot of tremendous achievements since being in the police service. Some of these achievements include:
- Under the leadership of the then IGP, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan and in his capacity as the Director-General of the National Patrol Department, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare supervised the implementation of the “Police Visibility” programme which witnessed the presence of police personnel at most intersections and communities in Ghana.
- As the Accra Regional Commander, Dr Dampare raised sufficient capital to put up a new office complex and re-roofed 90% of all office buildings at the Regional Headquarters which had been in a deplorable state for several years.
- In 2013, under the leadership of the then Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, Dr Dampare led a team of officers, to restructure the Armoured Car Squadron (ACS) Unit into the Formed Police Unit (FPU) within a record time of ten (10) weeks, a task which proved futile for over 15 years
Dr Dampare as IGP- What to expect?
Ghanaians should expect a change in policing. Given his track record of enforcing the law without fear or favour, Dr Dampare will ensure there’s equal justice for all citizens. Dr Dampare will also ensure his officers uphold the law and ensure that bribery and corruption in the police force are brought to a bare minimum.
“Those people in the Ghana Police Service have their days numbered because they are the people whose performance will threaten Dr Dampare’s success and he will not accept it,” Professor Aning said in an interview.
Given Dr Dampare academic credentials, many believe that he has adequate knowledge to ensure effective management of the police force both in the administrative sector and on the fieldwork. His knowledge acquired across varying academic fields will aid in fighting crime through strategic thinking and implementation.
Despite this great expectation, Dr Dampare as IGP appears a herculean task as noted by another security expert, Adam Bonaa.
“I know Dr Akuffo Dampare very well and I am going to give him the benefit of a doubt believing that the politicians will not bastardise his administration, that they will allow him to do his work. But I do want to see him being very assertive,” Adam Bonaa indicated in an interview.
“We are poised and focused to attain a world-class institution. We will position the Service to be one of the best-respected organisations in the country and make it a reference point for Africa and beyond,” Dr Dampare said.
