IGP displayed arrogance, intolerance in his response to High Commissioner

The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi says the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare was “intolerant” in his response to a tweet by the British High Commissioner to Ghana.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Gyamfi said the response to what he described as a harmless tweet had the tendency to undermine diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with the tweet by the British High Commissioner which is what appears to have angered our celebrity IGP,” Mr Gyamfi posted.

“If Dampare had apprised himself of Article 3(d) of the Vienna Convention, I am not sure he would have embarrassed himself and the nation this way”.

Mr Gyamfi also alleged that the IGP’s reaction was not surprising, given that harassment, human rights abuse and extra-judicial killings of innocent Ghanaians by some rogue elements in the Ghana Police Service were on the ascendancy.

“No wonder that harassment, human rights abuse and extra-judicial killing of innocent Ghanaians by some rogue elements in the Ghana Police Service 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”.

IGP’s letter

The IGP in a four-page letter dated May 20, 2022, advised the British High Commissioner, Harriet Thompson not to interfere in matters that do not concern her.

The advice was in reference to a tweet by the High Commissioner over the arrest of one of the conveners of the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, over a motor offence.

According to the IGP, the High Commissioner’s tweet sought to tarnish the reputation of the Ghana Police Service and the country.

Read the entire statement 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.

His 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 absolutely 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 am not sure he would have embarrassed himself and the nation this way.

No wonder harassment, human rights abuse and extra-judicial killing of innocent Ghanaians by some rogue elements in the Ghana Police Service 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.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
National Communications Officer, NDC