Secret recording of purported plot towards IGP’s removal leaks

An alleged secret audio recording detailing a plot to oust the current Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office before the 2024 elections has surfaced. The alleged conspirators are said to be high-ranking members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Ghana Police Service.

The unnamed participants in the audio chat complained that the IGP was allegedly unwilling to coordinate the operations of the police force with those of the ruling party.

They voiced worries about his leadership style and his alleged affiliation with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party.

“I know there are others who are also good for this position. If I don’t get and this man is changed and those people that we think they are our men get it, [I will be happy]… Because we need to break this 8. That is important, we need to break the 8… Because I wouldn’t want doctor to become the flagbearer and then we lose the elections,” one of the men who is reportedly a police officer in the audio is heard saying.

They came to the conclusion that Dr. Dampare serving as the head of the police would make it difficult for the NPP to carry out its “Breaking the 8” program.

“This IGP is not correct, he won’t help us. Alhaji you have done politics, you know elections is not just…elections, sometimes mafia work is inside… and this man sitting down up there will not help our party to do anything,” the supposed security official added.

The other confirms his claim by retorting, “[it’s] not just sometimes, mafia work is inside,” identifying himself in the audio as a former NPP Regional Chairman. Regarding elections, organized crime is involved.

The anonymous security officer added that regarding the recently concluded Assin North bye-election, “we should have selected our own people [security personnel] to go there so that we work with the party over there so that they know how to do their things.”

The alleged senior NPP official concurred.

“I will talk to the chairman and the general secretary myself… they should stay in the headquarters. They will go and see our plans and work to destroy it,” the supposed senior NPP member responded.

The purported security official further said: “This current man will not help us. Me, I have been an NPP (member) long time before I even joined the service, and now we need… because if we don’t break the 8… that is my only objective.”

He said, “We mentioned that they didn’t believe us, which is why they didn’t speak up during the IGP’s nomination.

“We told them that we will regret it… they thought because we were also fighting for position that is why we were destroying him. But when he started arresting party people that is where they saw that hmmm… we said this and we said we told you. And we are still sitting down watching. If we watch and go to opposition, trouble.”

It is significant to note that JoyNews has not yet independently confirmed the audio recording’s validity.

The discovery of this purported plot prompts inquiries on Ghana’s relationship between political parties and security forces.

While the accuracy of the allegations and the scope of any prospective scheme as described in the audio remain disputed, some responses, including those from Parliament, have already trickled in.

Any attempts to unseat IGP Dr. Dampare in order to provide the NPP the ability to rig the 2024 election would be vigorously resisted, according to Peter Lanchene Toobu, a member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee and a former police officer.

A veteran police officer cautioned that such a course of action may significantly jeopardize the Fourth Republic.

Peter Toobu urged the IGP to remain focused in a statement to JoyNews.

“Whoever thinks that way is undemocratic in the brain because if somebody thinks that the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election type of violence can lead the NPP to break the 8 then it means that we don’t want the 4th Republic.

“Because if anything like the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election resurfaces in the 2024 elections, our democracy will be gone. Nobody will sit and take that,” he cautioned.