The Parliament of Ghana was tense on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, as issues surrounding a leaked tape where some persons including senior police officers were heard allegedly plotting to remove the Inspector General of Police (COP), got to the floor of the house.
Members of Parliament ((MPs) of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by the MP for Nandom and Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery, were attempting to brush aside the allegation being made in the tape, saying that the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had no intention of removing the IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs said that the allegation made in the tape are very serious and must be probed.
Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale South and former minority leader, one of the MPs who argued for the NDC MPs, said that the security implication in the leaked tape is too die to ignore.
He said that the issues mentioned in the tape bother on the safety and security of Ghanaians as well as Ghana’s democracy.
“We collectively want to preserve this democracy. So, what the deputy leader is seeking is that… this house must take interest in conducting a thorough forensic audit into the leaked tape; Mr Speaker, in other to establish the veracity or otherwise of what is contained in that tape.
“And more importantly Mr Speaker to preserve the professional integrity of the Inspector General of Police (Dr George Akuffo Dampare) and to protect him thereon,” he said.
He added that the probe is not needed only to find the people behind the tape and to protect the IGP but also to empower him to ensure that elections in this country are conducted in a free and fair manner.
“The word free and fair has constitutional meaning. When the constitution says that elections shall be conducted in a manner which is free. Free from what?
“Free from fear, free intimidation, free from influence – it has a meaning… So, Mr Speaker to preserve our democracy and protect the professional integrity of the Inspector General of Police and to appreciate what Dampare is doing in preserving this, we are requesting for parliamentary enquire into the leaked tape,” he concluded.
Background:
A leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, has ignited public outrage.
The recording features an officer who identifies himself as "Mensah" and a politician who is reportedly a regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Their conversation revolves around plans to remove the IGP from office due to fears that he would be too firm during the 2024 elections and prevent any potential rigging.
The Commissioner of Police also specifically identifies the IGP's handling of the Assin North by-election as evidence of his commitment to ensuring free and fair elections.
Watch a video of Haruna Iddrisu making his argument on the floor of Parliament below:
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