On July 21, 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, exercising one of his presidential powers, asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr James Oppong-Boanuh, to proceed on his terminal leave with effect from August 1, pending his retirement from the Ghana Police Service on October 7.
Similarly, the President asked the Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS), Mr Patrick Darko-Missah, to, as well, take his terminal leave the same date and go on retirement in October.
Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare was named as the Acting IGP to succeed Mr Oppong-Boanuh, whereas the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS), Mr Isaac Kofi Egyir, would assume the position of Acting Director-General of the GPS while Mr Darko-Missah is on leave.
As announced, both appointments and terminal leave took effect yesterday.
The Ghanaian Times congratulated the four top security service officers in our editorial of July 23 and once again we congratulate them on their achievements and welcomed Dr Akuffo Dampare and Mr Egyir to their new roles in national development.
We asked them to be on their mettle to improve on the achievements of their predecessors and we repeat that today.
However, we wish to devote the rest of our space in this write-up to salute the out-going IGP and the Director-General of GPS.
We salute Mr Oppong-Boanuh, the 29th IGP, and Mr Darko-Missah for dedicatedly working for 33 years and 32 years respectively for their institutions.
On Friday, a ceremony was held at the Police Training School at Tesano in Accra, to pull Mr Oppong-Boanuh out of the Ghana Police Service.
Placards with such moving pregnant inscriptions as “Thank you, Mr IGP” and “Well done, Sir” speak volumes of Mr Oppong-Boanuh with regard to his professional traits and roles, social life, personal relationship and assistance he has offered people, some of the instances he even might have forgotten.
Even though, no formal ceremony concerning Mr Darko-Missah has been reported, we on the Ghanaian Times have no doubt he would have similar compliments.
This is because for both men to work for over three decades for their respective institutions and become their heads gives the impression that they share some traits that helped them to surmount challenges associated with the various roles they have ever played.
In addition to their valuable knowledge, skills and experience in security matters, Mr Oppong-Boanuh is alawyer while Mr Darko-Missah is an agriculturalist and human resource professional.
We pray that they would be even more useful to their family and all those around them and the larger society during retirement.
We believe they would now have more time to reflect on some of the problems in their respective areas and help to find solutions to them.
We salute you, Mr Oppong-Boanuh and Mr Darko-Missah, for your dedication and loyalty to your institutions and Mother Ghana.
We wish you both the best in all your new endeavours.
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