IGP charges leaders to adopt teamwork to ensure development

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has admonished persons who assume leadership positions to brace themselves up for the uncertainties ahead to enable them to adequately tackle the responsibilities.

Dr. George Akuffo Dampare while calling on leaders to ensure unity and teamwork amongst them and members of their leadership however cautioned that the move wouldn’t necessarily land the leader in the good books of every team member.

The police chief made the remarks on Friday, September 8, 2023, at Atua in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region as the special guest of honour during the outdooring ceremony to mark the enstoolment of COP Francis Ebenezer Doku, Director-General of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, as new Asafoatse for Atua Manya Agbasi in the Manya Krobo Traditional Area of the Eastern Region under the stool name Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I.

While calling for unity among the new Asafoatse, his team, and the people, the IGP emphasized that though teamwork was critical for enhancing development, the commitment of every member to the leader could however not be guaranteed.

“The fact that there’s a team would not mean that everybody will be on your side…because that Godly principle that not everybody will be on your side is embedded in everything that we do as human beings,” he told Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I.

Quoting Gen. 1:6 from the Bible to buttress his point, the police chief noted that the Holy Book severally quoted God with the phrase, “let us” underscoring his penchant for teamwork in his works.

Citing himself as an example, he said teamwork has been his hallmark since assuming the position of IGP. “Since I assumed this position, teamwork is what I eat, what I drink, what I sleep, and what I wake up with,” noted Dr. Dampare.

Praying for what he called a “mindfulness mindset” for the new Asafoatse, Dampare said this has been his guiding principle since assuming the position of the Inspector General of Police.

He asserted: “Since I became the Inspector General of Police, with this mindfulness mindset, I’ve been able to bring everybody together, whether that person like you or not, we have to find ways of working together.”

The IGP while asking Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I to bring everybody together whether they like him or not said society must preserve the traditions left behind by its forefathers.

According to him, society and its leaders must also leave behind exemplary legacies worth emulating by its descendants.

The IGP also called on the people and its leaders to live with a good conscience. Pledging his unwavering support for the new chief, the IGP assured COP Doku of the unflinching support of the leadership of the Ghana Police Service.

“On behalf of my colleagues, we’ll also team up with you and team up with the elders of this town and team up with the embers of this community so that at the end of the day, the teamwork will bring the fruits beyond expectations”, he said.

On his part, Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I also stressed the need to adopt unity to ensure success and development, adding that disunity was injurious to progress.

“As Asafoatse of Atua Manya Agbasi, what I ask of you is unity, my pleas to the other Asafoatseme is for the unity of Kloma, disunity wouldn’t take us far,” he told his people.

Reiterating the call of the IGP to continue the legacies of the forefathers, the traditional leader noted that the current leadership must leave behind good legacies for its offspring.

Underscoring the need for education, he urged the people to prioritize its essence by ensuring that they take advantage of the government’s free senior high school education to ensure that their children access education.

As part of his contribution to ensure that deprived students receive the necessary attention to further, their education, the serving DG of the MTTD early this year launched the Angmortey Yohuno Foundation (AYF) to support the sponsorship of brilliant but needy students to pursue tertiary education.

He reminded the people that the foundation is still committed to fulfilling the mandate for its establishment.

Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I also appealed to the people to ensure peace during the 2024 general elections.

On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, Simon Kweku Tetteh also reiterated the need for unity and togetherness as ingredients to enhance development.

He guaranteed his support for the traditional leadership of Atua Agbasi Manya and the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, in general, to ensure that they achieve their vision for the area.

Led by the Se Worno, Asafoatse Odjeblema Angmortey I swore the oath of allegiance to the Mane and also received the same oath from his elders of Agbasi.

The colourful event was embellished with colourful performances and recitation of appellations by Sipim Teye Mormor.