COP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah named EOCO Head
A former Director-General of the Police Professional and Standards Bureau (PPSB), Commissioner of Police (COP) Mrs Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, has been appointed Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO).
A certified fraud examiner, COP Addo-Danquah replaces Steve Raymond Dapaa-Addo, who was appointed Director-General of EOCO on July 9,
2021.
A letter of appointment, signed by the Chief of Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, said COP Addo-Danquah’s appointment took effect from today, Monday, January 10.
She becomes the first female to head the EOCO since it was established in 2010.
Release to Presidency
Last December, COP Addo-Danquah was released from her role as the D-G of the PPSB and released to the Presidency for a new appointment.
The Police Service had, in a letter dated December 13, 2021 and signed by COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Director General, Administration, said: “I am directed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to release you from your current schedule and report to the Chief of Staff at the Presidency to be re-assigned.”
Until her release, she was one of two females serving on the Police Management Board.
The other is Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Habiba Y.A. Twumasi Sarpong, who succeeded COP Addo-Danquah as D-G of Welfare of the Police Service.
A number of firsts
This is not the first time COP Addo-Danquah is heading to an institution as the first female head.
She is the first female to head the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service.
She is also the first female Commandant of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College (GPCSC) in Winneba in the Central Region.
Before being assigned the role at PPSB, she had also served as the D-G of the Police Welfare Unit.
Service
COP Addo-Danquah was recruited into the Ghana Police Service on July 27, 1990 and has risen through the ranks by dint of hard work and her desire to achieve higher academic laurels.
When she passed out, she was first posted to the Police Hospital Accounts Section as a constable.
After the 18-month probation, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1992 because she had enlisted with a Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting option), which she had obtained at the Kumasi Polytechnic between 1988 and 1990.
Having been promoted to Sergeant, she enrolled at the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) in 1995, passed the Level Two examination and was promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector.
That granted her direct entry to the Police College in October 1998.
Best Cadet
At the passing out ceremony in May 1999, she was adjudged the All-Round Best Cadet and the Best Student in Humanities, out of a class of 48 (46 males and two females), making her the second female to take that award at that time.
In recognition of her remarkable accomplishment, a special staff of honour was ordered from the United Kingdom (UK) by the then IGP, which was presented to her by the late Professor Evans Atta Mills, who was then the Vice-President.
Secondments
Along the line, she was made the administrator at the Police Hospital when the person in charge went on a peacekeeping mission.
Later, she also had the opportunity to go on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, where she acted as the Logistics and Finance Officer for the Missing Persons Unit.
With her international peacekeeping experience in Kosovo under her staff belt, she was posted to the Finance Section of the Police Headquarters.
A chartered accountant, COP Addo-Danquah also had stints at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, where she learnt at first-hand information on public sector accounting. Following her successful understudy at that place, she was assigned to head the Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) of the CID for three years.
EOCO
The EOCO was established by law and given presidential assent on September 6, 2010.
The move was part of efforts to prevent and fight economic and organised crimes, such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering and other organised crimes in Ghana.
It is also to co-operate with relevant foreign or international agencies.
Source: Graphic