Dampare Leaked Audio: How Security Analysts And Other Experts Have Reacted To Secret Plan To Remove IGP

• Experts and social commentators have waded into the issue about a secret audio in which a man believed to be a senior police chief is heard calling for the IGP to be removed
• According to the voice in the leaked audio that has gone viral, IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare won't make rigging in 2024 possible
• YEN.com.gh has compiled the views of security experts like Prof Kwesi Aning and Adib Saani and social commentator, Kwame A Plus, and three other people about the issue

The secret audio in which a top police official is heard urging an influential member of the NPP to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare has gotten many experts talking.

In the audio that has gone viral, the police chief, identified only as Mensah, can be heard telling the NPP guru that the current IGP will make rigging impossible during the 2024 general elections.

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"It will not help us at all and I will not mind if the position is not given to me but that man is changed; because he will not help us, he will not help us at all," the yet-to-be-identified police officer can be heard saying in the leaked audio.

Since Tuesday, July 11, 2023, when the tape reached the Ghanaian public, security analysts, political scientists and social commentators have been sharing their views. Professor Kwesi Aning, Professor Ransford Gyampo and popular social commentator A-Plus have shared their views.

Interior minister Ambrose Dery has said the claim that there is a plot to remove the IGP is baseless and unfounded.

YEN.com.gh has compiled a short list of reactions to the leaked audio about the plan to remove IGP Dr Dampre below:

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Dampare has made a lot of enemies because of his honesty

Security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning believes the plot to oust IGP Dr Dampare is because of his professionalism, focus and no-nonsense approach to work.

Prof Aning told Joy News that the leaked audio does not come as a surprise.

"It doesn't come as a surprise because when Dr Dampare was appointed, that appointment raised a lot of questions...his style of inclusive, civil and dynamic leadership...meant that he made a lot of enemies quickly," he said.

Akufo-Addo must act on leaked audio if he isn’t considering Dampare’s removal

Renowned political scientist Professor Ransford Gyampo also wants President Nana Akufo-Addo to act swiftly on the leaked audio if truly there is no plot to remove the IGP.

"It would be politically suicidal for the NPP as a Party and the Akufo-Addo government to think about removing the IGP for being too competent. But if this is not their thinking, why can’t they swiftly dissociate themselves from the rumours?" Prof Gyampo quizzed on Facebook.

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A-Plus warns NPP that sacking Dampare will cost the party one million votes in 2024

Media personality and social media commentator Kwame A-Plus, known in private life as Kwame Obeng Asare, has said if the governing NPP dares to sack the hardworking IGP, the party would lose huge votes in the next election.

According to him, the plot to remove the current IGP is because he ensured that there was no violence during the Assin North by-election.

"You want to sack Dampare at this time? That very day, you'll lose another one million votes. Dr Dampare is every right-thinking Ghanaians' sweetheart. Anyway, I won't pretend I'm not happy. I want them to go to opposition so it's good news," he said in Twi during an interview on Adom FM.

He said he is confident that Akufo-Addo will make the best decision for Ghana and not sack the IGP.

Security analyst Adib Saani says it will be disastrous if IGP is removed

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Furthermore, another security analyst Adib Saani has cautioned against moves to remove the IGP.

He told GhanaWeb that if the IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare is removed it will bolster speculations that the NPP intends to rig the 2024 elections.

"This would force stakeholders in the elections to take measures that are likely to have disastrous consequences,"he warned.

Sack police commissioner in leaked audio

Also reacting to the audio is security analyst Adam Bonaa.

He condemned the leaked audio and noted that the senior police officer whose voice was captured in the audio must not be allowed to remain in office for only one day.

“So for me, I will want to call it a day of shame...the simple reason is that as you heard, the 'Alhaji' they were engaging [in the leaked audio] asked a lot of questions that ordinarily some of us might even be asking,” he said.

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Leaked audio must be authenticated and perpetrators charged

Also, a ranking member of Parliament's Defence and Interior Committee James Agalga has called for a probe of the leaked audio to confirm its authenticity.

The Member of Parliament for Builsa North said the content of the audio should not be taken lightly.

“If the audio is authenticated then it will mean that there are people within the government circles, the NPP who have resorted to some evil machinations to subvert the will of the electorate in 2024," the MP said.

IGP Dampare tries to calm school kids who fled at the sight of police

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a separate story that the Inspector General of Police sensitised members of a community in Amasaman after school kids fled after seeing the police.

IGP George Akufo Dampare stressed to the community that police officers were public servants and friends to the people.

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Dampare, however, admitted that his officers need to improve the quality of service provided to communities.

Akufo-Addo shares photos of beautiful Kwabenya police barracks

Also, in a previous story, YEN.com.gh reported that Nana Akufo-Addo commissioned an ultramodern barracks his government has completed for members of the Ghana Police Service.

He commissioned the beautiful edifice at a well-organised event held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

The Kwabenya Police Barracks is made up of 514 self-contained flats that come in one- and two-bedroom options.

Source: YEN.com.gh