Sammy Gyamfi Says Ghana’s Relations With UK Is At Risk Due To Dampare’s Letter To High Commissioner
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has bemoaned the effect the action of the Inspector-General of Police, George Akufo Dampare could have on Ghana.
According to him, the letter of the Police Chief to the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, “is in very bad taste and has the potential of undermining Ghana’s long-standing diplomatic relations with the UK”.
He opined that the IGP displayed “arrogance” and “intolerance” and described it as “disgusting”.
Sammy says “there is absolutely nothing wrong with the tweet by the British High Commissioner which is what appears to have angered our celebrity IGP. If Dampare had apprised himself of Article 3(d) of the Vienna Convention, I am not sure he would have embarrassed himself and the nation this way.
“No wonder that harassment, human rights abuse and extra-judicial killing of innocent Ghanaians by some rogue elements in the Ghana Police Service is on the ascendancy. IGP Dampare must know that the Police Service, like any other human institution, is not sacrosanct and not immune from criticism.”
He advised the IGP to rather focus on cleaning up the battered image of the Police and restoring public confidence in the Service.
He is not the only one criticising the IGP over his letter to Harriet. Executive Director of the Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Kofi Asare, convener for the FixtheCountry group, Oliver Barker Vormawor and many others have slammed Dampare.
“If you don’t want their opinions on national issues, including human rights abuses, don’t go begging them for aid. #DampeeVsBHC”, Kofi Asare posted.
“I worked as a Diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There is no way in the world, any public agency much less the Inspector General of Police would have the temerity to write such a letter to a Diplomatic Mission; and the ministry of foreign affairs would look on unconcerned.If we had a proper Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet will ask for Dampare’s resignation immediately! But they probably wrote it for Dampare to sign. Whaaat! Eih. Ghana Paaa nie!! Na so we cheap reach?#DampareIsAFootsoldier “, Vormawor posted.
On May 17, 2022, Harriet Thompson tweeted, “Oliver Barker Vormawor, the convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes…”
In reaction, the Inspector General of Police, George Akufo Dampare wrote to the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson saying, “Di Wo fie Asɛm”, to wit, “Keep within the limits of what concerns”.
Dampare pinpointed the breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 “which enjoins diplomatic missions not to interfere in the internal affairs of their host country”, with her action.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
