Vice Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of Ghana’s Parliament Peter Lanchene Toobu has described the celebrations by some police officers following the removal of Dr George Akuffo Dampare as Inspector-General of Police (IGP) as “strange” and a matter of concern.
Speaking on The Forum aired on Asaase Radio on Saturday, March 15, Toobu noted that while the general public had mixed reactions to Dampare’s exit, reports of police officers jubilating should not be taken lightly.
“The general public had mixed feelings, but the police public started jubilating, and let’s not take this for granted. Even if 10 police officers out of about 40,000 started jubilating over the exit of the IGP, it should be a source of concern to all of us, and it is an area that we need to study,” he cautioned.
Toobu, who served in the Ghana Police Service before entering politics, called on Dr Dampare to reflect on his tenure and publicly account for his leadership decisions.
“I have said this since yesterday that Dr George Akuffo Dampare, after taking a rest for about a month or two, should be bold enough to have a public lecture and account for his stewardship, the vision he had, and the leadership style he applied. Where did he miss the road? He should be very honest. Where did he get it wrong?” he stated.
His remarks come amid ongoing debates about Dampare’s leadership, with some highlighting his reforms while others criticize his management style and alleged favouritism.
For Palgrave Boakye Danquah, a former Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo regime described Dampare’s leadership as strategic and transformational, highlighting over 30 key policies he introduced to modernize the police service.
He cited initiatives such as the Police Emergency Medical Intervention Fund, the e-payment system, road safety enforcement strategies, and efforts to curb rider indiscipline as examples of Dampare’s commitment to reforming the service.
“We saw an IGP who was interactive, engaging, and took full responsibility for police communication. Under him, crime levels dropped, and police integrity was upheld,” he stated.
“We have had instances in the past where police commanders released statements that were later found to be inaccurate, causing more harm than good. Dampare ensured that all communication came from the headquarters to maintain credibility and integrity,” he noted.
While acknowledging that leadership comes with challenges, Boakye Danquah maintained that Dampare’s tenure significantly improved policing in Ghana.
He urged the newly appointed IGP, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to build on these reforms and ensure continuity in efforts to enhance security and law enforcement across the country.