Security Expert, Samuel Owusu, has explained that some heads of the police service are unable to resist political interference from the appointing authority because of the timing of their appointment.
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Samuel says he has observed that usually these IGPs are appointed a year or one and half years to their retirement. “Sometimes these ones lobby for an extension of their contract thus they become vulnerable to political influence. These ones know that if they do not maintain their political loyalty to the appointing authority their contract is not extended after retirement”, he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.
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Commenting on the recent appointment of the new IGP, COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare, he expressed however that it is less likely that Dampare will be politically influenced.
According to the expert, the new IGP is relatively young with about nine years ahead of him before he retires. As such, he believes no government can coerce him to do their bid on the basis of extending his contract after retirement.
“Dampare here has an extension of nine years before retirement so it will be difficult for a political figure to push him into retirement. S this is where he must prove that he is able to stand for the citizens to know he is not influenced”
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The presidency has appointed COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare as Ag. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) with effect from August 1.
He takes over from James Oppong-Boanuh, who was appointed as police boss by President Akufo-Addo in October 2019.
A statement signed by Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communication at the Presidency, directed the current IGP to “embark on terminal leave with effect from August 1, pending his retirement from the Ghana Police Service on October 7.
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“Until a substantive IGP is appointed in accordance with the dictates of the Constitution, President Akufo-Addo has asked COP Dr. Dampare to serve as the Acting IGP with effect from August 1.”