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I started lobbying to become IGP in 2017 – COP Alex Mensah
The Director General of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, COP George Alex Mensah has disclosed that he has always wanted to be made the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
According to him, this lobbying has been ongoing since the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) assumed office in 2017.
He said even though he has not been successful at that yet, he has not given up on that desire. The Police chief also confirmed to the committee that he’s a sympathiser of the NPP.
COP Alex Mensah made this known on Thursday, August 31, when he appeared before an Ad-Hoc Committee of Parliament probing the content of a leaked tape believed to be an alleged plot to remove the current IGP, George Akuffo Dampare from office.
“I gave my CV to someone to give to Bugri Naabu for him to lobby for me to be appointed the IGP. We all lobby. I started lobbying since 2017.
Asked whether he trusted in the ability of Bugri Naabu to lobby for him to become the IGP, the COP answered in the affirmative.
The Commissioner of Police however noted that Bugri Naabu’s testimony about him in the presence of the committee were full of lies.
“We were all here when Supt. Gyebi denied that he never spoke to Bugri Naabu. Bugri Naabu came here to lie,” he said.
On July 25, the Speaker of Parliament named Abuakwa South MP, Samuel Atta-Akyea as the chairperson of a 7-member ad-hoc committee to probe the recently leaked controversial audio in which voices are heard clandestinely plotting to oust the Inspector General of Police.
The viral audio, which revealed a supposed conspiracy by a senior police officer and a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office, resulted in a debate on the floor of Parliament with the Minority calling for a forensic audit.
Subsequently, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin proposed the setting up of the Special Committee.
Mr. Bagbin asked the committee to submit its report by September 10, 2023.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
