According to Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a former UN Governance Advisor, President John Mahama’s choice to replace the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is perfectly acceptable.
On Friday, March 14, President Mahama removed Dr George Akuffo Dampare as IGP and replaced him with Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohonu.
Professor Agyeman-Duah supported President Mahama’s choice in an interview with Newsfile on JoyNews on Saturday, stating that the appointment of the IGP and other leadership changes are common in governance and shouldn’t be viewed as problematic.
“I find nothing wrong with the president changing the police IGP, and even the CDS if he decides to do so – it happens,” he said while discussing the dismissal of Dr Dampare.
He added, “Any president coming into power will naturally want top officers who align with his vision of leadership. You cannot dispute that. Look at what has happened in the US and other countries.”
His remarks came after the abrupt shift in the police hierarchy, which has generated conflicting opinions. Some members of the public and law enforcement officials have publicly celebrated the change.
“Every president must be very conscious and sensitive when making such moves because, if the wrong decisions are made, they can disrupt the system,” Professor Agyeman-Duah added.