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Saturday, February 8, 2025

A Remarkable Journey of Perseverance and Leadership in Ghana’s Police

According to Ghana Web report, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah’s rise within the Ghana Police Service is a powerful story of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of seizing opportunities. Born on August 19, 1969, in Konongo, Asante Akyem district, Ashanti Region, Addo-Danquah faced significant hardships from a young age. After her father relocated to Nigeria, leaving the family without financial support, she took it upon herself to provide for her mother and seven siblings.

While attending Bompata Secondary School and later Kumasi Polytechnic, Maame Yaa demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial spirit by hawking goods such as cassava dough, oranges, and bread at Konongo station. Despite the challenges, her commitment to supporting her family never wavered. However, it was a seemingly small encounter during one of her selling ventures that would change her life forever.

While wrapping bread for a customer, Maame Yaa discovered a recruitment advertisement for the police, which she carefully kept and later used to apply for enlistment. Her journey to Accra for the recruitment process, however, was not without its obstacles. Upon her arrival, she was informed that she did not meet the height requirement of 5’4″. Initially told to leave, Maame Yaa stood her ground. She recalls the moment in an interview with Bola Ray on his Star Chat program:

“When they said I should leave, I didn’t go. I stayed there. Yes, I was disappointed. The Chairman of the Committee doing the enlistment, who became the first female Commissioner of the Ghana Police Service, Mrs. Jane-Christine Donkor, called me and I will never forget her. She gave me the opportunity. She had observed that I was still standing after they told me to go. She asked me, ‘Why are you here?’ I said, ‘Please, Madam, I really want to be a police woman.’ Then she asked for my results slip, looked at it, and told the team members to allow me to go and write the exams. That’s how I became a Police woman.”

This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Maame Yaa’s extraordinary career in the police force, one that would go on to break barriers and set new standards for women in law enforcement.

After being enlisted in 1990, Maame Yaa quickly distinguished herself. In 1999, she was recognized as the overall best Cadet Officer and top performer in the humanities during the Senior Police Officers Cadet Course 33 at the Ghana Police Academy. She made history by becoming the first Commandant of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College in Winneba, the foremost training institution for the service.

Throughout her career, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah’s contributions have been significant. She became the first female Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and is currently the Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO). Additionally, she has participated in international peacekeeping missions, including one in Kosovo. Her background also includes qualifications as a chartered accountant and a published author.

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