Amid rising dissent within the police force, senior lawyer and former Council of State member Sam Okudzeto has firmly defended Inspector General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, dismissing calls for his removal. Okudzeto asserted that Dampare is a levelheaded and professional leader committed to doing the right thing. In an interview on Accra-based 3FM’s AGENDA, he remarked:
I don’t even understand what they are driving at. I have watched this country since independence, and if there has been any person who is levelheaded and strict about doing the right thing, it is the current IGP, Dr. Dampare.
His comments come as internal grievances within the service continue to surface. Some officers have accused Dr. Dampare of unfairly denying promotions—a claim that was recently dismissed by a Kumasi High Court case involving 40 officers. Additionally, there have been allegations that the IGP is restricting regional and district commanders from engaging with the media on matters within their jurisdictions, a move that has further fueled demands for his sacking.
Addressing these concerns, Okudzeto warned against destabilizing leadership changes, stating:
I think that people just assume that when there is a change of government, there must also be a change of everything. We cannot run a country that way—it makes no sense.
Recent polls conducted on Pulse Ghana’s social media channels have shed additional light on public opinion regarding the IGP’s future. On Pulse Ghana’s WhatsApp channel, 8,811 votes were cast, with 6,338 (71%) voting NO to the idea of sacking Dr. Dampare and 2,473 (29%) voting YES. A similar poll on the Pulse Ghana Instagram page received 1,238 votes, where 781 voters (63%) voted NO and 458 (37%) voted YES. On X, 1,386 votes were recorded—721 (52%) voted NO, while 665 (48%) voted YES. Overall, across these three platforms, a total of 11,435 votes were tallied, with 7,840 (69%) opposing the removal of Dr. Dampare and 3,596 (31%) supporting it.
These results underscore that, despite some calls for change, a majority of respondents favour keeping Dr. Dampare in his current role. Nevertheless, the debate remains divided, and the final decision rests with President John Dramani Mahama, whose ongoing restructuring of public institutions could ultimately determine the IGP’s fate.
Supporters continue to commend Dr. Dampare for his efforts in upholding discipline, professionalism, and integrity within the Ghana Police Service.