Why President Akufo-Addo confirmed Oppong-Buanuh as IGP

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that he has confirmed Mr James Oppong-Boanuh as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

He explained that Mr Oppong-Boanuh, who was in acting position for some time, excelled, a development which, he said, informed the decision to confirm him.

President Akufo-Addo said this in response to an enquiry by the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, during a durbar the Dormaa Ahenkro Traditional Council held in the President’s honour last Monday.

The Dormaahene, while delivering his welcome address at the durbar held as part of the President’s two-day official visit to the Bono Region, had asked the President to confirm or deny information circulating on social media about the confirmation of the appointment of Mr Oppong-Boanuh, to which the President responded: “Yes, he has been confirmed.”

Extolling the credentials of the IGP as a consummate police officer, the President said: "I know the IGP comes from the Bono Region, but I do not know that he is a native of this area."

Big attendance

Hundreds of residents of the area, including chiefs, students and children, thronged the Dormaa-Ahenkro Presbyterian School Park to welcome the President and his entourage.

The people were unperturbed about the delay in the start of the programme and waited in their numbers until about 6 p.m. when the event kicked off.

The crowd cheered as the President’s convoy made its way to the durbar ground.

Apparently elated by the massive attendance and the enthusiasm with which the people received him, the President, beaming with smiles, occasionally responded with a clenched fist as he went round to greet the chiefs and the people.

20th anniversary

Touching on the 20th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Dormaahene and the Dormaahemaa, Nana Akosua Fima Dwabeng, President Akufo-Addo praised them for their successful reigns and wished them God’s blessings.

The Dormaahene is the elder brother of the Dormaahemaa.

"You have been a blessing to your people," the President said of the two traditional rulers.

He gave an assurance that the government would fulfill its plan to tar Dormaa-Ahenkro town roads before the commencement of the 20th-anniversary celebrations in December this year.

President Akufo-Addo said he would always be truthful to the people.

"I am not in politics to lie to Ghanaians," he declared, and assured the people that he would work hard to fulfill all his promises.

Road projects

In his remarks, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta, confirmed that five kilometres of Dormaa-Ahenkro town roads had been earmarked for rehabilitation before December this year.

In addition, the 20-kilometre Dormaa-Ahenkro-Kofibadukrom road had been earmarked for asphaltic overlay before December this year.

Mr Amoako-Atta also announced that work on 122 cocoa road projects throughout the country, including the Nkrankwanta-Adabokrom and Nkrankwanta-Kwakuenya roads, would resume soon.

Dormaa poultry industry

Responding to some concerns raised by the Dormaahene, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said the government was aware of the immense contribution the Dormaa area had made over the years to Ghana's poultry industry.

He said his ministry would, therefore, confer with the management of the adb Bank to provide financial support for an investor for the procurement of the necessary machinery for a slaughterhouse project at Wamfie in the Dormaa East District for the slaughter and packaging of chicken for sale in other parts of the country.

Dr Akoto explained that under the Rearing for Food and Jobs programme, the government would provide mobile slaughterhouses to make it easy for farmers to package their poultry for sale.

Dormaahene

Earlier, Osagyefo Agyeman Badu had commended the government for the construction of a youth development centre in the area for the training of the youth in skills acquisition.

He also acknowledged the implementation of the free senior high school and the Planting for Food and Jobs programmes, the construction of warehouses, among others, as some of the visible achievements of the government.

The Omanhene, however, appealed to the government to expedite plans to rehabilitate deplorable roads across the country to forestall demonstrations against it.

He also called for the provision of the necessary infrastructure for the satellite campus of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Dormaa-Ahenkro to ensure its smooth operation.

Police congratulates IGP

In another development, the Police Administration has congratulated Mr Oppong-Boanuh on his appointment.

A message posted on the Police Service official Facebook page said, “Congratulations to IGP Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, on his appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police, and extension of service for two years by the President of Ghana, in accordance with the Constitution.

“The Police Administration considers both the appointment and extension as confidence reposed in Mr Oppong-Boanuh and endorsement of actions started by him to prevent and reduce the fear of crime in the country.

“Heartiest congratulations IGP Mr Oppong-Boanuh!!!” the message added.