Following the removal of Dr George Akuffo Dampare as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), several reports and allegations have emerged regarding his actions and inactions while in office.
These actions and inactions, which allegedly made Dr Dampare, who was appointed IGP in 2021, unpopular among a majority of police personnel, have been cited as possible reasons for his removal.
Some individuals have even called for an investigation into the former IGP’s decisions while in office.
Here are some of the ‘sins’ Dampare has been accused of:
Extra-judicial killings:
Dr Akuffo Dampare has been accused of ordering the killing of some persons alleged to be criminals.
The Executive Director of Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG), Listowel Nana Kusi-Poku, while reacting to a draft report by the committee of Parliament that investigated a leaked tape of a plot to remove Dampare from office in July 2024, said the report was hollow and ignored many issues concerning some questionable actions of the IGP.
He asserted that the report is much ado about nothing and does not bring to bear the many supposed crimes committed by the IGP.
“Some men decide to be in command and go to Bortianor and shoot people, kill them. And the IGP that gave the command, you are telling me, has not been investigated, but they are just thinking about how people were orchestrating for him to be ousted from office, and you think that should be okay with me?” he alleged.
Running of an ‘illegal’ elite police unit – PID:
Dr Dampare was also accused of running an elite police unit, known as the Police Intelligence Department (PID), whose members virtually acted as the former IGP’s thugs, committing all kinds of atrocities.
According to broadcaster Paul Adom Otchere, the hierarchy of the police was unhappy about the PID because its members did what they wanted and were untouchable.
“The PID is being used by Dr Dampare allegedly to empower a certain elite police group, and they do anything and nobody can talk to them, and they talk only to the IGP,” he stated during the July 13, 2023, edition of his Good Evening Ghana programme.
Promoting favourites and denying due promotion:
The majority of personnel of the Ghana Police Service reportedly wanted Dampare removed from office.
According to retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, police officers in the country would go on the street rejoicing the day Dr Dampare is removed from office.
He said that Dr Dampare is unpopular among police officers because of his actions, especially the biased transfer and promotion of police officers.
“I will always say that this is the worst IGP that we have ever seen in this country. This is the worst IGP. Can you imagine an IGP promoting people without the promotion board? Can you imagine an IGP transferring people without a transfer board?
“Can you imagine an IGP just transferring, so vindictive that if he doesn’t talk to a particular senior officer and he sees you as his friend getting closer to that senior police officer, he will transfer you? Can you see an IGP transferring those around his Deputy Inspector General of Police because they are around him?
“Have you seen this kind of thing? I don’t have any personal problems with him, but I am just saying what I know. And let me tell you something, and I wrote it on my Facebook wall, I can tell you that over 80% or not less of police officers voted against the NPP because of Dampare. I am telling you frankly. You go out and see what is happening in the police service. The police personnel are so disillusioned, so depressed, so fed up with the IGP, and they have spoken. There are a lot of cases in court right now against the IGP,” he alleged.
Brutality of the protestors:
Another possible reason Dr Dampare may have been removed was the treatment of protestors during the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presidency.
Private legal practitioner and activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, in a post shared on social media on March 13, 2025, alleged that Dr. Dampare was used by the Akufo-Addo government to brutalise protestors.
“The way he oversaw the brutal treatment of Democracy Hub protestors, from #OccupyJulorbiHouse to #StopGalamseyProtest. This includes the way he set his sights on me, doing almost everything in his power to use the police force against me and our other convenors.
“I believe that he was extremely used by the former regime. He was their lapdog, and he delivered,” he wrote.
Unresolved election murders and violence:
Another possible reason for the ousting of Dr. Dampare was the inability to find and prosecute the persons responsible for the violence and deaths that occurred during the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, the 2020 general election, and the 2024 general election.
President John Dramani Mahama, through his Executive Secretary, wrote to the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to request an investigation into the deaths recorded during the 2020 and 2024 elections.
In a letter dated Friday, January 10, 2025, the presidency stated that it has become imperative to serve justice to the victims and families of the deaths.
“I have been instructed by H.E. John Mahama to formally request your office to initiate immediate investigations into the tragic deaths of Ghanaian citizens during the 2020/2024 general elections. These incidents, which occurred in various parts of the country, have left a lasting scar on our democratic process, and it is imperative that justice is served for the victims and their families,” the letter said.
Since the president’s directive, there have been no reports on the investigation.
Unresolved murders of Ahmed Suale and JB Danquah:
The former IGP was possibly removed due to the failure of the police to find the person(s) responsible for the high-profile murders of investigative journalist, Ahmed Suale, and former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament, JB Danquah Adu.
Investigative journalist Ahmed Suale was murdered in 2019, but to date, no suspect has been arrested for his murder.
The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng (A Plus), has said that he has informed the police of the person he claims was responsible for the murder of Ahmed Suale.
JB Danquah Adu was killed in February 2016 at his residence in Accra when Dr Dampare was the Greater Accra Regional police commander, but to date, the perpetrator(s) of the murder have not been found.
Daniel Asiedu, who was the main suspect in the case, was found not guilty by a court in December 2024.
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BAI/AE