Ben
Over the past two days, “Dampare” has been making waves across mainstream social media due to discussions surrounding a leaked audio recording. This recording reveals a plot against the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
The leaked tape features a conversation between a Commissioner of Police and a senior member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The conversation primarily revolves around reasons why the current IGP should be removed. The senior police officer accuses the IGP of wrongdoing and asserts that the NPP cannot win the 2024 elections if Dampare remains the IGP.
It is not uncommon for high-ranking police officers to disagree with an IGP. However, this recent exposé sheds light on a peculiar and malicious plot against the IGP, adding credibility to existing speculations about covert attempts to remove Dr. Dampare from his position.
All these manipulations and schemes have one objective: to persuade the President to dismiss the IGP. Although it is challenging to decipher the President’s mindset and intentions, I am confident that President Akufo-Addo will avoid falling prey to these deceitful plots.
My confidence is based on the following steadfast predictions and rationales:
Firstly, I predict President Nana Akufo-Addo would not want to be remembered as the leader who jeopardized Ghana’s most cherished asset—peace and stability.
Secondly, I believe President Nana Akufo-Addo would not want to be remembered as the President who halted Ghana’s significant progress toward democratic consolidation.
Thirdly, I am convinced that President Akufo-Addo would not want to be remembered as the President under whose rule Ghana plunged into civil war due to desperate attempts to impose his political party on the people, even if the electorate rejects his party in the 2024 elections.
Finally, I can confidently predict that President Akufo-Addo fully comprehends that the will of the Ghanaian people always prevails, as evidenced by the peaceful transition of power from the charismatic and courageous Jerry John Rawlings’ National Democratic Congress (NDC) to John Agyekum Kufuor’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2000.
Based on these convictions, I do not doubt that President Akufo-Addo will disregard any orchestrated and sinister plots to remove the man who has proven to be the guardian of Ghana’s most treasured asset—peace and stability. Indeed, the President desires to hand over a unified Ghana to the winner of the 2024 elections rather than a fragmented nation.
It would be unwise for anyone to assume that President Akufo-Addo is unaware that the most crucial requirement for governing the country is not political sycophancy but internal security, a quality admirably exhibited by Dr. Dampare.
Moreover, anyone assuming that the President would be naive enough to dismiss Dr. Dampare must either ignore the President’s consistent praise of the IGP’s performance or disregard the President’s words as meaningless commentary. Dr. Dampare has received more commendations from the President than any other appointee.
The President appointed Dr. Dampare as the acting IGP in July 2021. In September 2021, the President publicly praised him, stating that the IGP had justified his appointment. In early October 2021, the President officially confirmed Dr. Dampare as the substantive IGP and commended his excellent work during his interim tenure. Later that month, during the swearing-in of the Police Council, the President once again lauded the IGP, asserting that the actions taken under his leadership had gained strong support from Ghanaians.
During the State of the Nation address in March 2022, President Akufo-Addo singled out the IGP for praise, expressing satisfaction with the progress and positive transformation of the Police Service under his leadership. In February 2023, the President continued to praise Dr. Dampare’s leadership and performance, assuring him of full support from the government.
Just a few months later, in April 2023, the President commended the exceptional Inspector General of Police and his team for their efforts in deploying officers across the country during the Easter festivities to ensure public safety.
Considering the President’s consistent praise for the IGP, why would anyone assume he would suddenly remove him to appease sycophants and allow electoral rigging?
Those conspiring against the IGP should have realized that the outcome of elections does not hinge on the IGP’s affiliation with a particular party. President Akufo-Addo himself knows that the 2000 elections were not won because the then IGP, Mr. Peter Tenganabang Nanfuri, was an NPP member or appointed by candidate Kufuor. Similarly, the NPP’s loss in the 2008 elections cannot be attributed to IGP Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong’s affiliation with the NDC, as President Kufuor appointed him.
President Akufo-Addo’s victory in the 2016 elections did not result from the fact that the then IGP, Mr. John Kudalor, was an NPP member President appointee. Mr. Kudalor was appointed as IGP by President John President, yet President Akufo-Addo emerged victorious.
An IGP does not oversee elections or manipulate results. Their duty, mainly during elections, is to lead the police force professionally and ensure peace, law, and order, as exemplified by IGP Dampare during the recent Kumawu and Assin North by-elections.
Given the facts above, the opposition NDC’s reaction to the current controversy surrounding the IGP and elections is perplexing. NDC officials should know, or at least be aware, that President Mills did not lose the 2000 elections to John Kufuor because of an NPP-affiliated IGP. The same applies to the 2008 elections, where President Mills did not win because of an NDC-affiliated IGP. The conduct of an IGP did not influence the NDC’s losses in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Therefore, it is unfounded for senior members of the NDC to proclaim they will resist any attempt to remove IGP Dampare to facilitate NPP’s rigging of the 2024 elections.
During the national results collation, an IGP cannot collect pink sheets for parties or appoint representatives in the substantial room of the Electoral Commission. An IGP cannot prevent a party agent from diverting their attention during collation and engaging in unrelated activities.
I understand the NDC’s support for Dr. Dampare based on his exceptional professionalism and leadership as the IGP. Still, such support should be devoid of unnecessary partisanship and false conspiracy theories about election rigging.
The fact that we are witnessing overwhelming public support for an IGP for the first time should not be overshadowed by political biases and animosity. Let us set aside partisanship and hatred and rally behind Dr. George Akuffo Dampare to continue his exceptional efforts and leadership in building the Ghana Police Service that we aspire to.
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Source: Omanghana.com
