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Dampare mismanaging Police Service; several officers not happy – COP Mensah
The Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, COP George Alex Mensah, has told the parliamentary committee probing a viral leaked tape that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, is mismanaging the Police Service.
COP Mensah made the allegation during his appearance before the committee probing the tape in which some senior police officers are heard in a conversation with the former Northern regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bugri Naabu, plotting the removal of the IGP.
COP Mensah said the IGP’s leadership has led to a decline in morale among many police officers.
“Dampare is not managing the Police Service well and the majority of police officers are not happy. You can call the police officers underground and they will tell you,” COP Mensah told the committee on Thursday, August 31.
COP Mensah also admitted to being a politician and working in the interest of a political party even though he failed to disclose the party he supports.
His comments echo similar sentiments captured on a leaked tape in which he is heard telling Bugri Naabu that the IGP must be removed to ensure that the NPP wins the 2024 elections.
COP Mensah also strongly refuted the authenticity of the tape.
He claimed that the tape had been doctored and did not accurately reflect the content of the original conversation with former NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu.
During his appearance before the committee assigned to investigate the leaked tape, COP Mensah expressed his inability to verify several details on the tape.
He also firmly stated that there was no plan to remove the IGP, emphasising that the tape circulating has been strongly edited.
In a direct exchange with Committee Chairman Samuel Atta Akyea, COP Mensah stated that “this tape that was played today, to me was an edited tape, I have not heard any unedited tape for me to talk about as I sit here.”
COP Mensah added “The tape that I heard today, there are so many things in that tape that I don’t remember and there are so many things that we discussed that are not on the tape. I’ve met Bugri Naabu four times and we have discussed many things some of them private things that I am not ready to discuss in public
“I had a meeting with Bugri Naabu but I don’t remember having any plan to remove the IGP because I don’t remove IGPs.”
His claims completely contradict the testimony of Bugri Naabu who confirmed the veracity of the tape and also confirmed recording it in his private office in Osu.
Bugri Naabu also admitted that COP Mensah wanted him to discuss the possible removal of Dampare from office because he was not likely to help the NPP win the 2024 elections.
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
