If I am the worst, then collectively, all of us are the worst – IGP
Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tuesday opposed the appraisal of Mr George Alex Mensah, a Commissioner of Police, that he is the worst IGP in the history of Ghana.
He said his administration, which included COP Mensah, was working collectively to ensure that his team became the best in the history of the Ghana Police Service.
Dr Dampare said when he appeared before Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan Committee probing an alleged secreting recording plotting his removal from office.
“Mr Chairman, if I am the worst, then collectively, all of us are the worst, including my brother (COP Mensah) who was serving in that capacity as a member of the team that I lead. So I think it was a slip of the tongue on his part,” he said.
Mr Mensah, a Commissioner of Police (COP), alleged before the Committee that Dr Dampare was the worst IGP in the history of Ghana.
Dr Dampare also told the committee that his administration had carefully learnt from its predecessors and was determined to create a formidable service for generations to come.
“We are on our way to being the best in terms of all those that have come before us, and we have a good reason for that. We are getting on to become the best in the history of the country. And the reason why we want to be the best under my leadership is that when most of my forebears were there, we saw what they were doing right and saw the challenges. We have the opportunities to learn from them and do things right,” he said.
Dr Dampare added; “We don’t only want to be the best, but we want those who will come after us to perform better than us. And when that happens, we will end up building strong institutions. So it cannot be true that my administration is the worst.”
Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan Committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman is investigating the veracity of an alleged leaked audio plotting the removal of Mr Dampare.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove IGP Dampare from office circulated.
Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament therefore constituted the seven-member bi-partisan Committee to authenticate the audio and probe into the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
The Committee, was, therefore, charged to report back to the House on September 10 2023 but that had not been successful due to the ongoing investigation.
The Committee is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.
Among the members are; Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.
While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.
Source: GNA