The news broke around 3 pm on Joy FM as I was driving through town doing my hustle. I listened to all the many sterling achievements of the new sheriff in town. 

Frankly, I have heard some of his wonderful performances earlier in other circles of conversation but what struck me was his starting as a constable. From that low, he rose to this high role as Acting IGP.  So, listening to his story, I was so full of admiration for him but had a number of questions on my mind.

What is the but? The BUT is in Ghana, maybe in Africa, when one is appointed to a high position, then everything about the person changes. Yes! COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare is a big man as we say in Ghanaian parlance, in his own right but he’s now a bigger man. The BUT is, will we see his sterling performance?

Growing up, we were taught a certain pattern of decision-making checks. After one is done with all the technical things at his level, we would do the following;

1. Is it pleasing before God?
2. Is it pleasing to my parents?
3. Will it be beneficial to society?
4. Is it okay for my integrity?
5. And maybe one or two more, depending on what it is.

But, here in Ghana, what is most evident is the following;

1. Will it hurt my appointer?
2. Will it hurt the family of my appointer?
3. Will it hurt affiliates or associates or the party of my appointer?

Someone may say, you can’t reduce such a big performer or such an excellent professional in his many fields, accountant, police officer, lecturer and many more to such a simplistic way of doing things.

But is it little wonder that we have been complaining about the men and women at the helm of affairs at the various levels of society? Would you say those we complained about, did not have any professional standards in their previous careers? That they didn’t have any personal integrity?

Ask yourself, the many youthful appointees running the Districts, Municipalities, Metropolises and Ministries, why are they looking over their shoulders always over the simplest things like discipline?