New Patriotic Party flagbearer-hopeful and chairman of the Defense and Interior Committee of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong has cautioned the government against any plot to remove the current Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare since it will affect the ruling party.
According to him, the significant reduction in robberies across the country is due to the changes introduced into the police service by the IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
He said even though he has had disagreements with the IGP in the past, he believes his performance as police chief has been outstanding.
“If you go to the police headquarters, you will realise that the man (Dr Dampare) has done well… I have fought with him once because of his refusal to act when the killer of JB Danquah confessed to him, but he has done really well.
“How often have you heard of armed robbery since Dampare was made IGP? People were being killed and their money was being stolen in broad daylight. How many times have you seen this since Dampare came into office? I have called one of the guys (in the leaked tape) who is from my village and blasted him. We don’t like change,” the NPP firebrand told Kumasi-based Kessben FM.
He also noted the transformation at the police headquarters is an indication of the foresight of the IGP.
“Since I became the head of the defence and interior committee, we have had a number of IGPs, and this man (Dampare) what he has done, I don’t think we are being fair to him… Could you not make the mistake of removing him? Under him, the rate of armed robbery has reduced drastically; he has transformed the police headquarters; the place looks so clean and beautiful”.
The comments by the lawmaker come in the wake of the public interest in the work of the special parliamentary committee set up to investigate the alleged plot to remove the IGP by some senior police officers as captured on tape.