Samuel Nana Appiah, a security analyst, has demanded the immediate detention of several senior police officers who took part in a covert meeting to remove Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare from his position as Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
One Commander Asare, Commissioner Mensah, and Superintendent Gyebi were the three senior police officers who came to him to hatch the plot, according to the former Northern Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bugri Naabu, who appeared before the committee of seven MPs on Monday.
Mr. Naabu further acknowledged that he had taped the exchange with the police officers and given it to the president so that he could hear it for himself.
“Commander Asare and COP Mensah said currently all the Commissioners at the Police Headquarters are all NDC and we will see whether we will win this election and we lost it. So that alone I was a bit worried,” Bugri Naabu said.
However, Security Analyst Samuel Nana Appiah, a retired police officer, commented on the matter in an interview on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV. He urged the Police administration to interdict the three police officers to prevent discrimination in the service and added that the said officers are not above disciplinary procedures.
If it were a constable or any other subordinate officer who had committed the crime, he or she would have been arrested even before being called in for questioning, thus the concerned senior police officials ought to have been detained by now. Before an investigation began, the person would have received a letter, and his or her uniform would have been confiscated. The disciplinary process does not exempt senior officers.
“Discrimination in the service also brings down the morale of the personnel. Why are these three officers not on interdiction when they are being investigated. Is it because they are Commissioners, Commanders or senior officers. If the Police institution wants to ensure transparency, responsible police, and being accountable to the people and motivating the personnel in the service, you don’t discriminate.”
Bugri Naabu testified before the 7-member committee of Parliament looking into the tape that he was forced to give the President access to it because some senior police officers, including Commander Asare, Commissioner Mensah, and Superintendent Gyebi, scared him by saying the IGP was fighting with the Army hierarchy.
A purported secret audio recording detailing an alleged plot to have the current Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, removed from office prior to the 2024 elections surfaced in July. The purported recording was made by individuals who were thought to be senior members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a Senior Police Officer.
The unnamed participants in the chat who were being recorded at the time voiced anger about the IGP’s actions since they did not serve the interests of the ruling party.
They took issue with his management style and purported ties to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the opposition party.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com