Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare has taken over as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) after he was sworn-in by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He was the Director-General in charge of Operations of the Ghana Police Service.
He joined the Service as a constable and worked his way up the ladder with over three decades of service to the country, rising to the rank of a COP.
Profile
Dr. Dampare joined the Service 32 years ago without secondary school education.
In 1991, on completion of his recruit training, Dr. Dampare was adjudged the overall Best Recruit at the National Police Training School and won all awards except the award for the ‘Best Marksman’.
Again in 1996, he emerged the overall Best Cadet for the 32nd Cadet Officers’ Course at the Ghana Police Academy (formerly, Police College) and won all awards, including Excellence in Professional Police Subjects and Excellence in Academic Subjects.
He subsequently rose in the ranks after completing various courses to become an ACCA chartered accountant.
The COP also worked as a Research Fellow and lecturer at King’s College, University of London.
The new acting IGP also lectured at the University of Cape-Coast (UCC), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Regent University College, and the Data Link University College.
He is also one of the pioneer lecturers at the Business School of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.
He has served as the Director-General of Finance, Director General in charge of Welfare, Director General of Information Communication Technology, Commandant of the Police Command and Staff College, Accra Region Police Commander, Director General, Administration, among others.
COP Dr. Dampare became a Chartered Accountant at the age of 25 while serving as a Police Constable and currently holds a Ph.D. in Finance.
COP Dampare was a Special Assistant to the Regional Commander, United Nations Mission in Bosnia Herzegovina, Municipal Police Commander, Cape Coast, ADC to the Vice President of Ghana, Accountant/Finance Officer, Ghana Police Service, and the Head of Police and Narcotics Desk at the Ministry of Interior.
He is married and has six children.
Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare is seen to be enforcing the law and he is Ghana’s 23rd IGP and started the job on a good note.
Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah arrested
He has been commended for enforcing the law by making sure the head pastor of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah cannot act with impunity just because of their affiliations with political parties.
The man of God was picked up by the police together with his junior pastors who were brandishing a gun in a viral video, threatening the very life of the converted fetish priestess, Nana Agradaa.
Police dogs to fight crime
The police as part of its Proactive Preventive Policing Strategy, aimed at combating crime in the country under Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare, has commenced the use of trained dogs on the principal streets of Accra.
The highly-trained security dogs would be strategically positioned across the capital for operational patrols which are being carried by the K-9 Unit of the Ghana Police Service, with renewed energy.
Shatta Wale remanded
Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale has asked the new IGP to make sure he arrests any entertainer who misbehaves after he was remanded by an Accra High court.
Shatta Wale and two of his boys were arrested in connection with the alleged fabrication of a story purporting him to have been shot by an unknown assailant.
Apparently, prior to his arrest, Shatta Wale had taken to social media to Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare to make sure he arrests any entertainer who fools and put them in prison for at least two to three months.
Medikal remanded at Ankaful prison
Ghanaian rapper Samuel Frimpong, known on stage as Medikal, has been remanded to police custody for five more days.
The rapper has been denied bail on his first appearance in the law court after he was arrested Thursday night for brandishing a gun on social media.
The presiding judge of the Accra Circuit Court, Justice Emmanuel Essandoh, ruled that Medikal be sent to the Ankaful Medium Prison for five days.
Medikal pleaded not guilty to the charge of displaying firearms and ammunition.
Regional Police Commander returns GH¢200 MoMo bribe
Under the leadership of Dr. Dampare, there seems to be some discipline in police administration.
The Bono East Regional Police Commander has reportedly ordered one of his officers who allegedly admitted to forcibly cashing out GH¢200 from a traveler’s MTN Mobile Money account to refund it.
The officer in question was one of those stationed at “Last 2 Barrier” in a town called Yeji in the Bono East Region on September 16, 2021.
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