Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah's recent appearances before the investigative committee have stirred controversy in Ghana due to some controversial statements he made during the hearings.
COP Alex Mensah is the second witness to appear before the committee investigating the leaked tape that allegedly aimed to remove IGP Damapre from office.
Appearing before the committee, COP Alex Mensah made these shocking statements which have gotten Ghanaians talking.
Below are some of his statements
1. Affiliation with New Political Party
COP Mensah openly disclosed that he is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and by extension, the United Party (UP). He told the committee that although he belonged to the NPP, he was not a card-bearing member.
2. Desire to be IGP
COP Mensah openly admitted that he had the desire to lead the police service as IGP. As a result, he has been lobbying with the powers that be to get the opportunity to be IGP.
“And that was not the first time lobbying went on," he said. "We have been lobbying from 2017 to become IGP.”
3. Dampare masterminded recording, leak of viral tape
After alleging that the alleged tape was doctored and does not entirely reflect what transpired when he met with Bugri Naabu, COP Alex Mensah made an allegation against IGP Dr. Dampare.
He said: “My intel suggests that what was used to tape the conversation was done by the current IGP.”
4. Lobbying within the police service
He again brought to light the level of lobbying with the Ghana Police Service. COP Mensah told the committee that in his case, he sent his CV to Chief Bugri Naabu to advance his candidacy for the IGP position.
He said “My CV was given to somebody whom Bugri Naabu sent to come and collect from me. The purpose was for him to go and lobby for me to become IGP."
5. Bitterness among police officers
COP Mensah drew the attention of the committee to what he describes as bitterness among the officers of the police service.
He added that because of the actions of the IGP, the majority of the police officers are unhappy.
“I will not deny that fact today, tomorrow, or the next day, I will make that statement again, that the current Inspector General of Police is not managing the Police Service well," he remarked.
6. Dampare has gagged police officers, even the PR unit can’t talk
The senior police officer accused the IGP of gagging the police officers including the Public Affairs Unit of the service.
“As I said earlier, the current IGP is not managing the service well because now, he has shut the mouth of every police officer including the Public Affairs Director,” COP Mensah told the committee.
7. I don’t regret making 'this IGP is not correct' statement
COP Mensah as he was being interrogated by the committee admitted that he described the IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare as ‘not correct’, a statement he said he has no regret or reservations.
His reason is that Dampare is not steering the affairs of the police service in the right direction.
“Honorable members and honourable chair, what I said yesterday, if you give me the opportunity today, I will say it again, For me, for the 31 years I have been in the service, he[reference to IGP Dampare] is the worst IGP ever.”
8. There are POMAB meetings where some members are not invited
The former Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, COP Alex Mensah, that alleged some members of the Police Management Board (POMAB) are being deliberately excluded from crucial discussions regarding the police service.
"Mr. Chair, I have told you and maybe let me say it again, there have been occasions that meetings have gone on among POMAB members that some POMAB members were not invited to the meeting because they didn’t want them to be there and that is what has been going on,” COP Mensah alleged.
9. Police Service promotions between 2008 and 2016 were politically motivated
The senior police officer also said that the promotions in the service between the years 2008 and 2016 were all politically motivated.
According to him, his promotion was delayed for 8 years because his party was not in power.
These shocking statements have sparked debates about the state of Ghana's police service, the political neutrality of its officers, and the need for transparency in high-profile investigations.
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Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah