John Mahama’s Decision on the Next IGP

For months now, my friends at IMANI have waged a sustained campaign on a rather unsustainable argument that President Mahama must maintain Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare as the Inspector General of Police because Dampare is one of the few good men around.

The president should be allowed to decide. If he wants to maintain Dampare, it is his choice. If he wants someone else, he should be free to do so.

The IGP, like the CDS of the Ghana Armed Forces, is a sensitive security position, and a president should choose those he wants to work with.

When I faced multiple death threats and the former National Security Minister wanted to offer me police protection, he asked me to submit the names of policemen I trusted so that he would write to the police administration to assign them to me.

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In security matters at the highest level, a lot goes into choosing the head. Until we agree on a non-partisan means of selecting our security chiefs, we should not force one president to work with the security chiefs chosen by his political opponents.

The first coup in Ghana that toppled Nkrumah was jointly orchestrated by the military and Commissioner of Police J.W.K. Harlley. There are stories of heads of state whose bodyguards or security details assassinated or attempted to assassinate them.

I am not suggesting any suspicion on the part of Dampare or the army chiefs. I want to draw attention to the fact that, unlike positions such as the Auditor-General, the IGP and Army chiefs’ positions are sensitive.

President Mahama has sworn to keep us safe. We should allow him to choose the men and women he trusts to do the job, and we can hold him accountable. If he’s impressed with Dampare and wants to keep him, fair enough.

The argument that Dampare is a good man is not enough. What if he were a bad man? Would IMANI have said he should be sacked? And who decides whether someone is good or bad?

One man’s best IGP may be another’s worst. If Mahama wants Dampare, I have no problem, but we should not force his hands.