Dr. Akuffo-Dampare
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo-Dampare, virtually wept in front of a parliamentary committee investigating a leaked audio clip of an alleged plot to depose him, asserting that all allegations levelled against him are lies told to cover shame.
Fizzing with emotion, he described allegations of poor management of the Ghana Police Service under his watch as well as orchestrating the recording of the audio tape of the conversation between former Northern Regional NPP Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu, and some senior police officers, as wild.
On Friday, September 1, 2023, the former Director-General Technical, COP George Alex Mensah, testified before the committee and said morale in the service has lowered with most personnel unhappy with the management style of the IGP.
He asserted, among other things, that Dr. Akuffo-Dampare would go down in history as the worst IGP, claiming that he (IGP) had gagged all officers across the country, including those working at the Public Relations Units of the Service.
He also indicated that he believed the audio presented to the parliamentary committee was substantially doctored, and that the IGP had the original tape.
But appearing before the fact-finding committee in Parliament yesterday, the IGP dismissed all the allegations and added that they were made without a shred of evidence.
According to him, the allegations have caused him and his family across the country a great deal of suffering, particularly his wife and children.
“Those wild allegations without a shred of evidence have brought a lot of pain to myself, my family across the country and especially my wife and children.
“A pain also to my command, my leaders and my team that we work together, and a pain to the thousands of police officers who appreciate the strides we are making in transforming the organisation to be the best institution in the country and the reference point for the rest of the world,” Dr. Akuffo-Dampare said.
He continued that instead of his accusers focusing on the matter, “they came out with wild allegations that touched my person, the police leadership that I lead, and the entirety of the Police Service.”
“Until today, I’m now being told that they have some evidence. Without a shred of evidence, at the time that they were making the allegations, not a shred of evidence,” he stressed.
“Those wild allegations without a shred of evidence have brought a lot of pain to me, my family across the country and especially my wife and children. The pain also to my team, my command, and thousands of police personnel.
“I, an innocent person focusing on my job and working with my team to keep the country safe, have to be called here to answer unsubstantiated claims. This is just not fair. Are we killing patriotism that anybody can just wake up and make allegations?” the IGP quizzed.
Dr. Akuffo-Dampare also expressed his displeasure with certain features of the ongoing hearing, which he believes may give his accusers an unfair advantage.
According to him, earlier witnesses were not made to prove their allegations against him with evidence before his testimony was requested.
“Honourable Chair, I think we need to look at this carefully. Because that is not fair. Having said that, I don’t have any tape, I don’t know about it. And they should stop it,” he said.
Mahama Visits
The IGP also strongly rejected allegations that he had gone to see former President John Dramani Mahama, but stated that his responsibility as a police officer is to provide services to everyone, including the NDC flagbearer.
“I don’t visit former President John Dramani Mahama, and he doesn’t visit me. I’m a professional police officer. We are servants of the people, including the former president. Whoever is involved, as long as there is a police service to be provided, I have a constitutional duty and responsibility to get it done,” he intimated.
Promotions
Dr. Akuffo-Dampare denied again withholding promotions of officers who are due for promotion, while responding to the 82 disgruntled police personnel who accused the Ghana Police Service and him of treating them unfairly and failing to promote them.
“So everybody who is supposed to be promoted based on the junior rank has been done and everybody who is supposed to be promoted based on the senior rank have been promoted, and that is where we are,” he stated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House