Plot to remove IGP audio: Minority calls for investigations

A plot to remove IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office has alarmed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament.

It has therefore called on government to thoroughly investigate a leaked tape which implied that the government sought to rig the 2024 elections following the planned removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare.

Mr James Agalga, the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, said such declarations passed for treason.

He called for urgent action to be taken by the government to deal with the leaked audio hatching a plot to remove the IGP.

In the leaked audio recording, a man claiming to be a high-ranking police officer with the rank of Commissioner of Police who called himself as Mensa has been heard with a politician, who describes himself as a former Northern regional chair of the NPP, plotting the removal of IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare over fears he will be too firm in the 2024 elections.

The Police Commissioner who is said to be retiring is heard telling the politician that the IGP is too firm and could restrict efforts that would influence the outcome of the 2024 Elections.

In view of this, the high ranking police officer suggested that Dr Dampare must be removed from office before next year’s general elections.

He further notes that the nature of security the IGP provided during the Assin North by-election shows he will not allow any rigging in the polls.

“This IGP won’t help us. He won’t, he wants everything to be done fairly and we don’t win elections that way. If we don’t remove him we can’t break the 8, in politics we need machinations and this IGP won’t allow that,” the Police Commissioner is heard saying.

He also stated that the President has refused to listen to his appeals to replace the IGP with him.

“The President is not listening, I have been telling him. Even if they don’t want to give me the job, they should give it to another person but they don’t want to listen”.

Even before person’s heard on the tape can be identified and the veracity or otherwise of their conversations could be established, Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister for Interior, denied allegations that there was a scheme to remove Dr Dampare from office before the 2024 Elections.

Addressing Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament, Mr Dery described the allegations as baseless, and urged the public to do the same.

He told the Press that there was no such scheme against the IGP.

Mr Dery, therefore, underscored the importance of upholding the integrity and independence of the police force during the electoral process.

“…Tapes will be useful if they relate to a crime, but otherwise, no. But I haven’t made that determination whether this is criminal or not. Let me make it clear that this government is not going to tamper with the 2024 elections. The President does not want to stay one more hour beyond his term. We also want to make sure that we have a free and fair election,” he said.