Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has been sworn in as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), with President Akuffo-Addo doing the official induction at the Jubilee House on Friday.
Consequently, Dampare has been moved from the acting role he was playing to being the substantive IGP now, making him Ghana’s 23rd IGP.
The 51-year-old no-nonsense IGP succeeds his Predecessor, James Oppong Buanuh as the youngest chief Constable of the Fourth Republic.
At the ceremony, President Akufo-Addo charged the new IGP and the Police Administration to ensure neutrality and autonomy from the government of the day.
In his acceptance speech, IGP Dampare gave an assurance about his commitment to make the corruption-infested and battered Ghana Police Service a world-class institution.
“Our Vision has been to become a world-class police institution. Mr President, we are poised, we are focused on attaining that,” the IGP stated.
“We know it is not going to be easy but my colleagues and I have made our minds that even if we are unable to take it to that destination, we, at this time, will position the organisation towards that destination such that there’ll be no turning back.”
Already, Dr. Dampare has enjoyed rave reviews from the public in the short time that he has been Acting IGP since his appointment two months ago. The Service had perceptibly ramped up its fight against crime and has been more engaging with the public.
COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare has been in the Ghana Police Service for close to 30 years.
He joined the Service as a Constable and had risen to the highest rank and becoming one of the youngest Police Officers to have attained this status in recent years.
He has served in many leadership capacities in the Service, including; Director General (Finance), Director General (Welfare), Director General (ICT), Commandant of the Police Command and Staff College, and Accra Region Police Commander.
COP Dampare became a Chartered Accountant at the age of 25 while serving as a Police Constable and holds a Ph.D. in Finance.
He has been an Adjunct Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and University of Cape Coast.
Amongst his credentials; George Akuffo Dampare (Ph.D.) 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 has been credited for his lead role in the swift arrest of the alleged killer of former Abuakwa North MP, J.B. Danquah.