British diplomat comments on arrest of key activist
Dampare tells UK envoy to 'mind her own business'
"Was Akufo Addo interfering with the affairs of the USA?" this is a question posed on Facebook by Edudzi Kudzo Tamekloe, a member of the Communication and Legal teams of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC.
His post is in reaction to a recent letter from the Ghana Police Service directed at the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson.
Parts of the four-page letter dated May 20, 2022; chastised the British envoy for interfering in the affairs of a sovereign country via a comment she made on the arrest of activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
But for Edudzi and most pro-opposition voices, that argument was untenable especially for a diplomat.
Edudzi cited President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's July 2020 post on the death of George Floyd in the United States and with that, branded people chastising the diplomat as hypocrites and referred to the Police boss as a "celebrity IGP."
Dampare dominates news with letter to UK envoy
Inspector General of Police George Akuffo Dampare has been in the news for the better part of Tuesday, May 31, 2022, after a four-page letter signed by him was published by the Ghana Police Service via their social media handles.
The letter addressed to the British High Commissioner has sparked conversation on various platforms since its release.
The letter dated 20th May, 2022 addressed issues raised in a tweet by Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, regarding the arrest of #FixTheCountry Movement Convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
Her tweet of May 17, 2022, read,
“Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes."
But the IGP in his response, described the content of the tweet as unnecessary and biased. He further urged that the diplomat keeps within the limits of what concerns her.
“For the moment, we would recommend a Ghanaian saying that might guide you in your diplomatic engagements. The saying goes: ‘di wo fie asem’ – it means learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you,” the concluding parts of the statement signed by the IGP said.
Akufo-Addo's Blacks Lives Matter post:
On July 1, 2020; President Akufo-Addo authored a social media post addressing the then raging issue of police violence on Blacks in the United States.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer had triggered a global movement calling for justice and the president was not left out on the action.
The post read: "Black people, the world over, are shocked and distraught by the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in the United States of America. It carried with it an all too painful familiarity, and an ugly reminder.
"It cannot be right that, in the 21st century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism.
"On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolences to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd.
"We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism."
Below is Dampare's letter to Harriet Thompson:
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo