“Dampare is not managing the Police Service well, majority of police officers are not happy” -COP Alex Mensah tells special committee

According to COP George Alex Mensah, the Director of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, is mismanaging the Ghana Police Service.

When COP Mensah testified before the committee looking into the tape, in which some senior police officers can be heard plotting the removal of the IGP with former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bugri Naabu, the allegation was made.

According to COP Mensah, the IGP’s leadership has caused many police officers’ morale to drop.

“Dampare is not managing the Police Service well and the majority of police officers are not happy. You can call the police officers underground and they will tell you,” COP Mensah told the committee on Thursday, August 31.

Even though he omitted to say which political party he supports, COP Mensah acknowledged that he is a politician and that he works for a political party.

His remarks are similar to those made on a leaked recording in which he is heard telling Bugri Naabu that the IGP must be fired in order for the NPP to win the elections of 2024.

COP Alex Mensah vehemently denied the tape’s veracity as well.

The former NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu, was the subject of the conversation, according to him, but the recording was allegedly doctored and did not accurately capture what was said at the time.

COP Mensah admitted he couldn’t independently verify a number of the tape’s claims during his appearance before the committee tasked with looking into the tape’s leak.

He emphasized that the tape being circulated has been heavily edited and firmly stated that there is no plan to remove the IGP.

COP Mensah said in a direct conversation with Committee Chairman Samuel Atta Akyea that “the tape that I heard today, there are so many things in that tape that I don’t remember and there are so many things that we discussed that are not on the tape. I’ve met Bugri Naabu four times and we have discussed many things some of them private things that I am not ready to discuss in public

“I had a meeting with Bugri Naabu but I don’t remember having any plan to remove the IGP because I don’t remove IGPs.”

The testimony of Bugri Naabu, who acknowledged the tape’s authenticity and the fact that it was recorded in his personal office in Osu, is completely in conflict with his claims.

Bugri Naabu also acknowledged that COP Mensah requested him to speak with Dampare’s possible impeachment because he was unlikely to assist the NPP in winning the 2024 elections.