COP George Alex Mensah, the Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, who is also one of the police officers suspected of being involved in the alleged scheme to have IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare ousted, has claimed that most of the police officers are not happy about the IGP’s mismanagement of the Ghana Police Service.
During his appearance before the committee that is investigating the tape, COP Mensah made the claim that this is why several top police officials could be heard discussing the removal of the IGP with the former Northern Regional Minister of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bugri Naabu.
The IGP’s leadership, according to COP Mensah, has caused a fall in morale among many police officers.
“Dampare is not managing the Police Service well and the majority of police officers are not happy. You can call the police officers underground and they will tell you,” COP Mensah told the committee on Thursday, August 31.
Even though he did not reveal which party he supports, COP Mensah acknowledged that he is a politician and that he works for a political party. His remarks are similar to those made in the leaked recording in which he is heard telling Bugri Naabu that the IGP must be fired in order for the NPP to win the elections in 2024.
Moreover, he vehemently denied the tape’s veracity as well. According to him, the former NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu, was the subject of the conversation, but the recording was allegedly edited and did not adequately capture what was said at the time.
COP Mensah could not confirm a number of items discussed in the audio, as he appeared before the committee charged for investigating the tape that was leaked.
Additionally, he firmly asserted that there was no plot to get the IGP fired and emphasized how heavily manipulated the tape in circulation was.
In a direct exchange with Committee Chairman Samuel Atta Akyea, COP Mensah stated that; “This tape that was played today, to me was an edited tape, I have not heard any unedited tape for me to talk about as I sit here.”
His assertions are in stark contrast to Bugri Naabu’s testimony, which established the tape’s authenticity and the recording’s location in Osu. Bugri Naabu acknowledged that COP Mensah requested him to speak towards Dampare’s possible impeachment because he was unlikely to assist the NPP in winning the 2024 elections.
Bugri Naabu Lied
COP George Alex Mensah claimed that Bugri Naabu lied to the parliamentary committee in his revelations.
Bugri Naabu maintained that he hired someone to record the conversation and insisted that the leaked audio was accurate, while he stood before the committee on Monday, August 28.
However, COP Mensah said “Bugri Naabu came here to lie,” and asserted that the audio had been modified.
COP Mensah clearly emphasized that there was no intention to remove the IGP.
“This tape that was played today, to me was an edited tape…The tape that I heard today, there are so many things in that tape that I don’t remember and there are so many things that we discussed that are not on the tape.
“I’ve met Bugri Naabu four times, and we have discussed many things, some of them private things that I am not ready to discuss in public. I had a meeting with Bugri Naabu, but I don’t remember having any plan to remove the IGP because I don’t remove the IGP.”
COP George Alex Mensah
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