When the IGP is proactive

The Office of the Inspector General of Police is critical in our quest to see the nation develops. It creates an enabling environment for the populace to live without fear of robbery cases, kidnapping, rape and other social vices. Just like the case of Martha in the bible to Jesus “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. Truth is if not because of partisan nature of appointing the IGP by substantive Commanders in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare should have been given the opportunity to serve Ghana long ago. Why do I say this? Dr. Dampare exudes the qualities of a great leader by all standards. He doesn’t see his position as an avenue to amass wealth for himself as against some people whose intentions are otherwise. Ghana wouldn’t have been on the life support machine if he had been here.

Years ago, I used to see some officers in uniform often having fun on their phones at the expense of directing traffic. As a result of this, there was a total disregard to the rules of engagement as the usual survival of the fittest way of driving was prevalent. Thanks to the IGP for his intervention in this regard. Today, there is heavy police presence in every nook and cranny and this continues to put miscreants at bay. This IGP is no respecter of persons; when the long arm of the law catches up with you, facing the full rigours of the law shouldn’t be a surprise to you because the system is now working.

Indeed, Dr. Dampare has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he’s a sui generis. His exceptional humility is surely one of the levers that will push him to even more opportunities. So far, he’s lived a policing life worthy of emulation, appreciation and encouragement. To a large extent, he’s touched and blessed all whose paths he’s crossed and that earns him the affinity, reverence, appellation, endorsement, administration and respect he now comfortable enjoys as the IGP.

During the recent nation-wide strike action on the part of Commercial Drivers, many commuters were stranded and this brought discomfort to them. However, the Ghana Police Service under the leadership of a charismatic IGP, Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare used quite a number of the service’s buses to convey affected commuters to their destinations. You can only see this result when the leader is proactive. That wasn’t all as female police officers gave a cross-section of the commuters water to quench their thirst.

Another point worth mentioning is that, the lack of faith in the GPS that existed before the coming of the industrious IGP has been deepened as majority of Ghanaians now believe in no space for favouritism in line with enforcement of the law under his watch. When a leader has the full backing of his people, working assiduously to assuage the sufferings of rape victims, robbery victims, stranded commuters among others becomes an everyday thing. I can state unequivocally that all these years of living in a state of lawlessness and disorder, the country needed a certain Dr. Dampare, the right panacea to change the narrative.

It is worthy of note that, the in ordinate desire on the part of some motorists to use shoulders of the road has become a thing of the past. The police officers are everywhere and they arrest as though it is a call to duty. The commercial drivers who are mostly the culprits of this act now obey the laid down rules and regulations governing driving in the capital and beyond. The CCTV cameras mounted at various areas have been able to deal ruthlessly with recalcitrant motorists who are bent on jumping red lights.

Finally, I must be quick to hint that I admired a statement Dr Dampare made some days ago. He said “we have cells without places of convenience yet keep human beings. For how long can we be so inhumane? Both as a country as a people and as an institution. We need to fix that problem and be very careful the people we detain. Already the cells are small so we are not strategic in terms of who and who should be detained. Minor things that should not warrant detaining people end up in detention”. Watching the footage, I realised true leaders are humble. Some junior officers in their quest to outline their challenges to him stood as a sign of respect but Dr. Dampare asked all of them to sit and talk. What a man?

Dr. Dampare, keep actuating these deeds and greatness overflow shall be your province. As I celebrate your level of humility and professionalism with this piece of mine, may God’s blessing upon your life be made visible to the blind and audible to the deaf.

Author: Stephen Bernard Donkor, An Award-winning journalism student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ)

Email: [email protected]