Police officers have been admonished to emulate the qualities of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
They have, in the same homily, been told not to look up to Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah, who is the outgoing Director-General of Operations of the Ghana Police Service.
This admonition was given by the Member of Parliament for Tamale North Constituency, Alhassan Sayibo Suhuyini, on Saturday, September 16, when he appeared on weekend news analysis programme The Keypoints on TV3/3FM.
His admonition has to do with the appearance of the two senior officers before the ad hoc committee of Parliament as the leaked audio tape of some persons purportedly plotting the removal of IGP Dampare is probed.
For the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker, the IGP was “more mature” and “more professional in his outlook” than COP Alex Mensah in their respective appearances before the Speaker’s committee.
“I have said it that police officers and especially because these days, our police officers, many of them, get the opportunity to wear uniforms as a result of their relationships with politicians, many of them.
“Because of that I am saying that police officers who want to be professionals and rise despite how they got into into the Service must make it a point to listen to the two officers.
“They should listen to the two officers who appeared before the committee and make a conscious decision not to be an Alex Mensah but to be a Dampare despite your political affiliation.”
The Tamale North MP said after watching the two officers, anybody will be convinced that despite apparent political affiliations, just like any other public servant, the IGP showed that he is a professional.
“He showed class when he appeared before the committee.”
The IGP appeared before the Atta Akyea committee on Tuesday, September 12 to respond to allegations made by some three senior officers including COP Alex Mensah, whom he called ‘my senior brother’.
Dr Akuffo Dampare expressed pains about the allegations, describing them as “baseless” and “unfounded”.
The committee has gone on recess with a resumption date of Monday, October 2 announced.