Dampare, Egyir head police, prisons

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has made two key appointments to the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service.

He named Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare as the acting Inspector General of the Ghana Police (IGP) and promoted the Deputy Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Isaac Kofi Egyir, to the Ag. Director General of the Prisons Service.

Both appointments take effect from Sunday, August 1, this year.

A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, said the new IGP and Director General of Prisons would act in their respective roles until substantive heads were appointed in accordance with the dictates of the 1992 Constitution.

Terminal leave

Consequently, President Akufo-Addo has directed the IGP, Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, to embark on his terminal leave from August 1, this year, pending his retirement from the service on October 7, this year.

Regarding the Ghana Prisons leadership, the President asked the Director General of the service, Mr Patrick Darko Missah, to go on terminal leave from August 1, this year, with his retirement from the service set to begin on October 16, this year.

The President expressed his gratitude to Mr Oppong-Boanuh and Mr Darko Missah for their dedicated and meritorious services to the nation and the police and prisons services, respectively.

He also wished them the very best in their future endeavours.

Dr Dampare

Before his appointment, COP Dr Dampare was the Director General in charge of Administration of the Ghana Police Service.

The 51-year-old now becomes Ghana’s 30th IGP and would be the youngest acting IGP to be appointed in the Fourth Republic and the eighth youngest since Ghana gained independence.

Prior to this appointment, COP Dr Dampare was the most senior police officer (in terms of ranking) after the just retired IGP, having served in the police service for 31 years.

He joined the service as a Constable in December 1990 at age 20 and rose through the ranks to become Commissioner of Police (COP), 24 years later in 2014 at age 44, a rank he held until his appointment yesterday.

COP Dr Dampare’s quick rise through the ranks was aided by his completion of various courses and programmes, including becoming a chartered accountant and a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Training

Dr Dampare, who was born on July 14, 1970, currently holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Finance and became a chartered accountant at the age of 25 while serving as a police constable about two decades ago.

In 1991, on completion of his recruit training, young constable Dampare was adjudged the Overall Best Recruit at the National Police Training School and won all awards except that of ‘Best Marksman’.

He again emerged the Overall Best Cadet for the 32nd Cadet Officers’ Course at the Ghana Police Academy (formerly, Police College) in 1996, winning all awards, including Excellence in Professional Police Subjects and Excellence in Academic Subjects.

Having passed the GCE Ordinary and Advanced levels examinations as a private candidate in 1989 and 1992 respectively, COP Dr Dampare proceeded to study accountancy and became a chartered accountant in 1996 at age 25.

He earned his PhD degree in Finance and Management from the King's College, University of London, and has two Master of Science degrees in Accounting & Finance, from London South Bank University, UK, and Business Systems Analysis and Design from City University of London, UK.

Dr Dampare also has a certificate in High Impact leadership from the Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge, UK, and a certificate in Leadership and Management from the Aresty Institute of Executive Education, The Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, USA.

The newly appointed acting IGP is a member of a number of professional associations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (ICP), the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICA), and a fellow of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

Leadership positions

COP Dr Dampare has served in many leadership capacities in the Ghana Police Service, including Director General (Finance), Director General (Welfare), Director General (ICT), Director General (Operations).

He has been Director General for Administration and Director General for Welfare on two occasions and has also served as Director General of MTTD, Director General for Research & Planning, and Director General for National Patrol Department (Police Visibility Department).

He has also commanded the Police Command and Staff College, the Accra Regional Police Command and has been Regional Commander for Railways, Ports and Harbour (now Police Marine Department), Municipal Commander for Cape Coast and Chief Internal Auditor of the GPS.

Initiatives

In 2013, Dr Dampare led a team of officers, working day and night, to restructure the Armoured Car Squadron (ACS) Unit into the Formed Police Unit (FPU) within a record time of 10 weeks which helped the service to resolve a task that had looked impossible for over 15 years.

The FPU has now become one of the police units undertaking internal police operations and international peacekeeping missions under the United Nations and African Union.

Dr Dampare served and continues to serve on a number of boards including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) Governing Board, Data Link University College Council, Police Central Disciplinary Board and the Pumpkins Foundation Board (a philanthropic organisation for underprivileged children, including those with autism).

He is married with six children.

DDGP Egyir

Mr Egyir, born on August 21, 1964, is a seasoned Prison Officer and until his appointment, the Deputy Director General of Prisons (DDGP) in charge of Operations.

He has 26 years work experience with the Ghana Prisons Service, including five years duty tour with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Sudan and South Sudan as Corrections Advisor and Military Detention Manager respectively.

He was enlisted into the Service on December 5, 1995 as an Officer Cadet and was commissioned as a Deputy Superintendent of Prisons on July 5, 1996.

Mr Egyir was adjudged Best Cadet in Corrections Management and the Best-all-Round Officer Cadet and received the Sword of Honour.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Director General of Prisons, Mr Egyir was the Director of Prisons (DOP) in charge of Operations.

He also served as the Eastern Regional Commander and Officer in Charge of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, Commanding Officer of Prisons Headquarters and Officer in Charge of the Frafraha Camp Prison.

He also served as Chief Agricultural Officer of the Service.

Within the international working environment, he has played a key role in prison assessment and advised extensively on best practices of prison management, as well as capacity-building activities for national civil and military prison staff of post- conflict countries.

Training

Mr Egyir holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Animal Science from the University of Ghana, Master of Arts (MA) in Peace and Development Studies, University of Cape Coast; Master of Science (MSc) in Defence and International Politics, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Postgraduate Certificate in Agricultural Administration (GIMPA) and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (University of Ghana).

He also holds Advanced Executive and Executive Certificates in Security Management, Forensic and Investigative Psychology from Wisconsin International University College.

The acting Director General of Prisons had his secondary education at St Augustine’s College, Cape Coast.

Mr Egyir is a member of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) and African Correctional Services Association (ACSA) and Ghana Association of Animal Production.

He is married with three children.