•COP George Akuffo Dampare will succeed James Oppong-Boanuh as IGP
•His appointment has been hailed as a great move by President Akufo-Addo
•We have has listed five pressing issues he will have to deal with
Commissioner of Police (COP) George Akuffo Dampare will wake up on the morning of August 1, 2021 as the topmost police officer in the country.
Having worked his way up the ranks since 1991 when he passed out from the National Police Training School, Dampare will revel in this new role.
But amid the privileges and opportunities, come the huge challenges of maintaining law and order in the country.
COP Dampare walks into his new role with the police reputation heavily tainted by recent issues and his main duty will be to restore confidence in the police.
As he prepares to takeover from James Oppong-Boanuh, we highlights five issues that will most likely shape his tenure as IGP.
Ahmed Suale murder
The murder of the investigative journalist remains a huge topic of interest, two years on. The killing of the journalist was seen as an attack on journalism and only the arrest and incarceration of the perpetrators of the crime will alleviate the pain that came with his death.
The issues surrounding his death have been made murkier by Kennedy Agyapong who has dropped the name of the supposed murderer and accused the police of covering up.
IGP Dampare will have to find a solution to the murder that happened two years ago.
Insecurity concerns
From the robbery at a forex bureau close to the national headquarters of the Ghana Police Service to the daylight robbery of a bullion van at Jamestown in Accra, there is a sense of insecurity in the country.
Calls have been made for the police to up their effort especially in forestalling these robberies.
Aside the robberies, there have been several issues that impact on security in the country and IGP Kofi Dampare will have to deal with these issues.
Jamestown bullion van robbery
So far, four persons have been arrested as suspects in the robbery incident that occurred at Jamestown in Accra.
IGP Dampare faces an ardous task in ensuring that the killers of the young police officer are apprehended and jailed for their actions.
This could be a defining moment in his tenure. Kaaka’s death and Ejura riots
Though there is a committee probing the disturbances that resulted from the death of Ibrahim Mohammed, popularly known Macho Kaaka, there is a criminal element that ought to be finalized.
The mystery surrounding his death ought to be demystified whiles some persons who were arrested during the protest must face justice.
Kaaka’s brother is in police custody as the prime suspect in the case along with two others.
Recent police deaths and welfare
In recent times, there have been a series of reports of police officers either committing suicide or being killed in very strange circumstances.
The latest of such mysterious deaths is the demise of Chief Inspector Victoria Ntowaah who was found dead in her vehicle at Asokore Kobriso in the Ashanti Region.
A police commander with the Ashaiman division, DSP Asiam Divine Yao in February committed suicide, becoming the third officer two do so in three weeks at the time.
There have been concerns about the welfare, resources and remuneration for police officers and IGP Dampare walks into his new role with these burdens.
