By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Sept 12, GNA – The Inspector General Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Tuesday renounced having any working relations with Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chair of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Appearing before Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan Committee probing an alleged leaked tape plotting his removal from office, he said: “I do not have any working relations with him.”
This was in a response to a question asked by Mr James Agalga, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee whether he had working relations with Mr Bugri Naabu.
When he was further asked by Mr Agalga, also a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa North whether he contracted Mr Bugri Naabu to secretly record the leaked tape, Mr Dampare responded in the negative “No.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, August 28, 2023, when Mr Bugri Naabu, also a Paramount Chief of Namong in the North East Region in the Mamprugu Kingdom appeared before the Committee, he alleged hired someone to record the conversation after confirming the candor of the leaked tape.
On Monday September 4 during his appearance before the Committee, Mr George L. Asare, a
Superintendent of Police alleged that Mr Bugri Naabu claimed that he recommended Dr Dampare to the President before he was appointed the IGP and alleged that his intel suggested that the IGP plotted the recording of their conversation with Mr Bugri Naabu.
Parliament’s seven-member bi-partisan Committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, an NPP MP for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, an NDC MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman is investigating the veracity of an alleged leaked audio plotting the removal of Dr Dampare.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove IGP Dampare from the office circulated.
Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament therefore constituted the seven-member bi-partisan Committee to authenticate the audio and probe into the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
The Committee was, therefore, charged to report back to the House on September 10, 2023, but that had not been successful due to the ongoing investigation.
The Committee is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.
Among the members are Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.
While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.
Mr Bugri Naabu cited Mr George Alex Mensah, a Commissioner of Police, Mr George L. Asare, a Superintendent of Police and Mr Emmanuel Eric Gyebi, also a Superintendent of Police as three Police Officers he engaged in the conversation with at his office located in Osu.
GNA