There’s a grand political agenda to get rid of IGP Dampare - Col Festus Aboagye

Security Analyst, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd) has alleged that there is a grand political agenda to get rid of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare.

According to him, the alleged agenda is clearly depicted in the manner that the committee tasked to investigate the leaked audio which contained a plot to remove the IGP is carrying out its work.

Col Aboagye accused the Samuel Atta Akyea-chaired committee of overstepping its original terms of reference and delving into extraneous matters that put Dr Dampare in a bad light.

He said this among other things while speaking on Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Tuesday, October 10.

“I have been of the view that there is some empirical evidence that there is a bigger political agenda to remove the IGP from office.

“That is, more or less, evidenced in the approach that the committee has adopted which appears to widen the scope beyond its original terms of reference of first of all, authenticating the leaked audio/video material and investigating the circumstances surrounding the plot to remove the IGP from office by some persons still in uniform of the police service and one or two others who are civilians,” 3news.com quotes Col Aboagye as saying.

COP Alex Mensah (rtd), one of the police officers captured on the leaked audio being probed had suggested that the mode of appointment of IGPs needed to be reviewed. But Col Aboagye said the parliamentary ad hoc committee lacks the jurisdiction to determine that.

“I don’t hold the view that the committee has the mandate to investigate matters surrounding how the IGP is appointed, that must belong to another body or another mechanism including, for instance, the constitutional review commission which I believe was conducted in about 2011…

“This committee I think should not have the remit of investigating any aspect of the IGP’s appointment relating to the powers of the authority that appointed him,” he insisted.

Chairman of the committee, Atta Akyea who is Akim Abuakwa South Member of Parliament has been in the news in the past few days after one of the lawyers of the IGP accused him of bias.

Lawyer Kwame Gyan, on the first appearance of the IGP before the committee, had asked that COP Alex Mensah and Superintendent Asare who were plotting Dampare’s removal amid some accusations should not be present when their boss was testifying. But Atta Akyea rejected the request despite interventions by the Ranking Member on the committee, James Agalga.

Meanwhile, Atta Akyea has denied the accusations of bias, saying he has no reason or capacity to do anything untoward.

“If anybody is having jitters, that I am going to manufacture evidence against the IGP, it does not accord with common sense.

“Because what we are doing here is being recorded, so, Atta Akyea with whatever dexterity will not be able to improve upon the evidence,” he said.

In the leaked audio which has become a subject of investigation, COP Alex Mensah (rtd), other senior police officers and Daniel Bugri Naabu, the former Northern Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, are heard discussing a possible plot to overthrow the IGP prior to the 2024 elections.

The senior police officers claimed that the IGP was doing the bidding of the former president John Dramani Mahama, who had allegedly assured him of his job.

While Chief Bugri Naabu acknowledged the tape's authenticity, COP Alex Mensah refuted it, claiming that it had been doctored.

The terms of reference of the parliamentary committee are to ascertain the veracity of the leaked audio, the circumstances surrounding it, the plot to remove the IGP, recommend possible sanctions for those captured on it as well and make other recommendations.

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