Samuel Atta Akyea, the chairman of the parliamentary committee investigating the leaked secret recording allegedly plotting to remove the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, has denied claims that he is against the national police chief.
The counsel for the IGP, Kwame Gyan, has expressed reservations about the committee’s work, citing unfair treatment against his client.
However, Atta Akyea said the allegations are unfounded, adding that he has been fair to the IGP.
“The word “doctored” is what did not sit well with him [Kwame Gyan], but I said it is deduced from how it started. Was I not together with my committee members who afforded the IGP the best opportunity to speak to the press?” the Abuakwa South MP told the media on Tuesday.
“It’s a baseless allegation and the rest of the committee members thought that the lawyer who said it would be bold to say it again, and they will respond, but he didn’t,” he added.
Atta Akyea also touched on the reasons why the committee refused to allow members of the Police Service Management Board into Tuesday’s in-camera hearing.
“It will not be fair for non-witnesses to be present. That was the thinking of the committee. What’s the meaning of “in-camera”? What’s the discrimination here? Why should we admit senior officers to come when they’re not going to speak? These are some absurd positions some can say and get away with it,” he said.
Background
Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan committee, chaired by Atta Akyea with James Agalga, MP for Builsa North, as the vice-chairman, is investigating the veracity of the leaked audio plotting the removal of Dr Dampare.
On Tuesday, 11 July 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a police commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove IGP Dr Dampare from office circulated.
Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament therefore constituted the seven-member bi-partisan Committee to authenticate the audio and probe into the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
The committee, was, therefore, charged to report back to the House on 10 September 2023 but that had not been successful due to the ongoing investigation.
The committee is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.
Among the members are Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central, Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman, Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the committee.
While Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Speaker Bagbin to assist the committee.
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