All you need to know about the Acting IGP James Oppong-Boanuh

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday July 22, 2019 directed Deputy Inspector General of Police, James OPPONG-BOANUH to take over from his immediate boss, David Asante Apeatu who has been asked to proceed on leave prior to his retirement on August 14, 2019.

MyNewsGh.com has been digging into the profile of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) and brings to its readers the details

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION:

Masters in Human Rights – University of Education, Winneba (2015)

(B.L.) – Ghana School of Law, Accra (1984) – Called to the Bar & Enrolled as a Member of the Ghana Bar Association (1984).

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Law and Political Science – University of Ghana, Legon (1982)

GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels, Dormaa Secondary School, Dormaa Ahenkro (1977, 1979)

Aboabo (Dormaa) L/A Primary & Middle Schools – 1963 – 1972

POLICE MANAGEMENT AND FIELD COMMAND

2017 – 2018 – Director-General/Administration

2013 – 2017 – Director-General/Services

2013 Director-General/Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS)

2009 – Director-General/Legal & Prosecutions

– Also acted as Director-General/Research & Planning.

2007 – 2008 – Regional Police Commander, Accra Region

2006 – 2007 – Regional Police Commander, the then Brong-Ahafo Region

2005 Director-General/Welfare with additional responsibility over the ICT Directorate

2004 – Director-General/Human Resource

2002 – 2004 – Appointed First Chief Staff Officer to IGP

2002 – Secretary to Police Council, Police Headquarters.

1997 – 2000 – Senior Legal Officer, Legal Directorate, Police Headquarters.

1996 -1997 – Regional Traffic Officer, Motor Traffic Unit, Tema Region.

Also acted as District Commander, Community 1, Tema

1990 – 1996 – ADC/Personal Assistant to the Inspector-General of Police.

1989 – Officer in Charge, Accra Central Police Station.

UNITED NATIONS/PEACEKEEPING MISSION EXPERIENCE:

2010 – 2012 – UNAMID – Appointed Police Commissioner and Head of Police Component of the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation (Mission) in Darfur (UNAMID)

2005 – AMIS – Appointed Deputy Police Commissioner for the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

– Led the Advance Team to set up the Police Component of AMIS.

– Drafted the Police Component’s Concept of Operations (CONOPS).

– Acted as Police Commissioner for the Mission until the arrival of the substantive Commissioner (November 2005 – March 2006).

2001 – CIVPOL Officer in the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET).

2001- Personnel Officer at the CIVPOL Headquarters of UNTAET responsible for Transfers and Deployments.

2001 (May) – 2002 (January) – Deputy Chief of Investigations/UNTAET.

1994 – United Nations Mission in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) as a Civil Police (CIVPOL).

SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERTISE:

1988 – Joined the Ghana Police Service. Did two years training at the Ghana Police Training School and the Ghana Police Academy. This included field work at the Accra Central Police Division.

1990 – Graduated from the Ghana Police Academy

1992 – (January – March) VIP Protection Course, International Centre for Crime Prevention, Research and Study, Cairo, Egypt.

1992 – (November) – Attended Intermediate Command Course at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

1995 – INTERPOL Conference in Beijing, China.

1996 – Senior Command Course at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)

1999 – (March) – Attended the International Criminal Investigations Assistance Programme (ICITAP) Course organized by the Department of Justice of the United States of America, in Accra, Ghana.

1999 – (May) A Seminar on the Techniques of Negotiations for Diplomats and Senior Police Officers organized by the Ghana Chapter of the Centre for Democracy and Development.

2000 – (May) African Bar Association Biennial Conference, Accra, Ghana.

2002 – (January) Advanced Management and Command Course at the Ghana Police Academy.

2004 (1 – 6 March) – UN Civilian Police Service Management Seminar – Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra.

2004 (13 – 18 October) – Standardized Training Module 3 Seminar – Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre Accra.

2004 – UN Civilian Police Senior Management Course (KAIPTC)

2006 – Strategic Leadership Course (Police Senior Staff College) Bramshill, United Kingdom

2010 ECOWAS Senior Mission Leadership Course, National Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria.

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE:

Between 1984 and 1986 – Lecturer in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at the Ghana Police Academy (National Service).

1986 to 1988 – Legal Officer at the Legal Department of the Agricultural Development Bank, Accra.

7. INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION:

1996 – 2000 – Senior Legal Officer at the National Police Headquarters.

Advising the Ghana Police Administration on matters of law – both criminal and civil.

Directing and supervising investigations by giving legal advice on case files at both investigations and prosecutions level.

8. COMPUTER LITERACY:

Very good Computer skills in all Windows Versions as well as Microsoft Office Programs like Ms-Word, Ms-Excel and Ms-Power Point.

Troubleshooting and minor repairs on computers.

Installation and upgrading of both software and hardware.

9. PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

As the Regional Traffic officer supervised the introduction of the “Casino One-Way” thereby easing traffic congestion considerably in the Tema Metropolis.

As the Regional Commander for the then Brong-Ahafo, strictly enforced Patrols within the Region, especially on highways, thereby curtailing armed robbery.

Through dialogue and consultation, managed to keep the chieftaincy disputes in the Brong-Ahafo Region in check.

As the Regional Commander for Accra I devised effective crime management strategies that ensured the enjoyment of peace by the residents of Accra and its suburbs. Armed robbery was reduced considerably during my tenure as Regional Commander.

As the Chief Staff Officer to the IGP, reorganised the Police Headquarters administration by introducing decentralisation and giving each Schedule Officer a Secretariat with its own staff including a Staff Officer.

As the Deputy Police Commissioner for AMIS in Darfur, led the Advance Team to set up the Police Component of the Mission from scratch. My team drafted the CONOPS for the Police Component.

As the Police Commissioner for UNAMID, facilitated the appointment of female officers into command positions.