Prof. Gyampo defends Dampare, describes ACP Agordzo’s criticisms as unfair

Professor Ransford Gyampo, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has staunchly defended Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare amidst criticisms from ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo. Professor Gyampo described the comments from the retired officer as unfair and failing to recognise the IGP’s commendable contributions to policing in Ghana.

In a social media post on Thursday, Professor Gyampo praised Dr Dampare’s transformative leadership, which he said has significantly improved the image and operational capabilities of the Ghana Police Service. “The above is unfair and unfortunate. Respectfully, even though there’s freedom of speech, it doesn’t lie in the mouth of my respected retired police officer to be saying these,” he remarked.

Professor Gyampo credited the IGP’s resilience and commitment to fairness, particularly during the recent elections. Dr Dampare’s impartiality earned him praise from diverse quarters, including opposition parties, for his professional conduct. “This is the only IGP who has survived the plot of removal by his own appointing authority for doing his work well. He is the only IGP who could stop the planned massive deployment of soldiers to cause confusion at some voting centres in the just-ended elections,” he noted.

The academic emphasised Dr Dampare’s principled approach, citing his ability to withstand challenges while instituting reforms that have redefined policing in the country. While acknowledging the existence of certain challenges within the Police Service, Professor Gyampo encouraged critics to offer constructive feedback rather than undermining the IGP’s achievements.

“We can call on him to do more to address the challenges, but no one should remove this IGP simply because some loans being asked for by some police officers were refused,” he said, underscoring the importance of supporting Dr Dampare’s leadership.

Adding to this commendation, Selorm Brantie of IMANI Africa, a policy think tank, lauded the Ghana Police Command for ensuring a peaceful electoral process. In a Facebook post, he expressed gratitude to the Police for their vigilance and security measures during the elections.

“Let’s use this opportunity to applaud the Ghana Police Command for ensuring that we had a peaceful election. I believe that the police did a lot to ensure relative security and ensure that there was vigilance. Without their presence, I’m sure that many incidents could have thwarted the voice of the people,” Mr Brantie stated.

He further called on the Police to take decisive action against those involved in looting, vandalism, and electoral violence, urging them to process such individuals for court promptly. “In the interim, they should not hesitate to process all those found looting, vandalising and stealing any property, state or private, and all those who were involved in electoral violence should be processed for court before the week ends. That way we will still have the full support of the public and confidence in the services of the Ghana Police. Dr Dampare Ayekoo,” he added.

These statements of support highlight the broader public confidence in Dr Dampare’s leadership and the Ghana Police Service’s commitment to maintaining law and order. Together, they signal a call for continued professionalism and fairness in Ghana’s policing efforts.

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