Notable persons such as the President and Vice President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, and Kofi Bentil, as well as renowned pollster, Mussa Dankwa, have cautioned against the removal of Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office.
According to these think tank experts, President Mahama should prioritise professionalism over partisanship following the pressure on him to replace Dr. Dampare.
In separate social media posts, these personalities appealed to President Mahama not to repeat the mistakes of the previous administration.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, March 12, Mr. Cudjoe wrote: “It would be sad if someone who has been a true professional, risen through the ranks and changed the face of policing, enhanced our nation’s security, and crucially survived all daggers from within and outside the service would be relieved of his position without any adverse findings.
“We must insist on professionalism instead of extreme partisanship. There are few good men. Keep them when you find them.”
The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, on the other hand, said, “We should try not to become what we criticised before. Domelevo was sacked for doing his job! The Supreme Court ruled it as wrong. What has the IGP done, except do his job very well? I hope the NDC won’t repeat the evils of the NPP!” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Additionally, Mr. Dankwa described Dampare as the most popular security chief in recent history, emphasising his exceptional leadership and widespread public approval.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, March 13, 2025, Dankwa also urged the Supreme Court to expedite its ruling on the case concerning the removal of security heads by incoming presidents.
“The Supreme Court reserves the right to decide which cases to expedite. Given the upcoming election, I would have expected a swift ruling on the removal of security heads, as a new government would need clarity on the matter before taking action,” he wrote.
Dankwa questioned why the court had not prioritised the case, particularly amid reports that the IGP’s position was under threat.
“The court heard this case, which I consider more critical than many they expedited. Now, we hear the IGP is at risk. Did the court not anticipate this, or did they not believe the government would change?” he asked.
He further stressed the need for timely judicial decisions, citing past instances of delayed justice.
“Justice delayed is justice denied—just like what happened in Domelevo’s case. I don’t know the IGP’s personal issues, but he is the most popular IGP in recent history. If I were the president, I would not fire him,” he stated.
Dankwa’s concerns align with similar warnings from policy think tank IMANI Ghana over-reported government plans to remove Dr. Dampare.
The Presidency has yet to respond to such allegations.