Sammy Gyamfi, National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, has chastised Police Chief George Akuffo Dampare over his May 20 letter to the British High Commissioner, Harriet Thompson.
Even though the four-page letter took strong exception to the ‘meddling’ of the diplomat in Ghana’s internal affairs as relates to the arrest of activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor; Sammy Gyamfi believes the IGP misfired.
In a Twitter thread reacting to the letter, the NDC official accused Dampare of arrogance and intolerance, threatening diplomatic relations, being ignorant and focusing on wrong priorities.
“There is nothing wrong with the tweet by the British High Commissioner which is what appears to have angered our celebrity IGP. If Dampare had apprised himself of Article 3(d) of the Vienna Convention, I’m not sure he would have embarrassed himself and the nation this way,” his May 31, 2022 tweet read in part.
Gyamfi averred that it was because of the IGP’s lack of prioritization that rogue elements in the Police were running a rampage.
“The least expectation of a leader worth his salt is to focus on cleaning up the battered image of the Police and restoring public confidence in the Service. Defending wrong-doing while snapping at genuine criticism is not the new dawn of Policing that he promised us,” his post concluded.
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.
A four-page letter from the Inspector General of Police, COP Dr. George Akuffo-Addo Dampare 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.
Read Sammy Gyamfi’s full post below:
The arrogance and intolerance displayed by the IGP in his response to a harmless tweet by the British High Commissioner to Ghana is disgusting to say the least.
The IGP’s 20th May, 2022 letter, a copy of which is attached to this post, is in very bad taste and has the potential of undermining Ghana’s long-standing diplomatic relations with the UK.
There is nothing wrong with the tweet by the British High Commissioner which is what appears to have angered our celebrity IGP. If Dampare had apprised himself of Article 3(d) of the Vienna Convention, I’m not sure he would have embarrassed himself and the nation this way.
No wonder that harassment, human rights abuse and extra-judicial killing of Ghanaians by rogue elements in the Ghana Police is on the ascendancy. IGP Dampare must know that the Police Service, like any other human institution, is not sacrosanct and not immune from criticism.
The least expectation of a leader worth his salt is to focus on cleaning up the battered image of the Police and restoring public confidence in the Service. Defending wrong-doing while snapping at genuine criticism is not the new dawn of Policing that he promised us.
Source: ghanaweb
