‘I will salute Dampare any day’ – ABA Fuseini

Alhassan Bashir Alhassan Fuseini, former Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu Constituency, has praised former IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, despite the termination of his appointment by President John Dramani Mahama.

Contributing to the ongoing debate on the termination of Dampare’s appointment and the president’s choice of COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno as Inspector General of Police, the former legislator applauded Dampare for his phenomenal achievements as IGP, but insisted that he had to move on.

“Dampare did a lot of good things and he was a diligent police officer. I will salute him any day. During the Assin North by-election, I saw the professionalism of Dampare. When he got there at that time, he disarmed all the bodyguards of MPs.

“He told us that nobody, not even our bodyguards are allowed to carry arms. That is one of the things that helped to secure the peace and orderly conduct of that by-election,” he said on Pan African TV on March 14, 2025.

He argued that the president may have his own reasons for terminating Dampare’s appointment.

“We should be mindful of our stance on this matter because there may be facts at the president’s disposal that made him arrive at this decision. The quantum of information and facts that get to the table of the presidency that we’re not privy to may shock you. These facts, perhaps, guided his decision to terminated him and appoint Yohuno,” he said.

He also indicated that President John Mahama is a thorough person, who does not make decisions without prior consultations and careful considerations.

“Mahama is not a person who makes decisions on the spur of the moment. He could have dismissed Dampare from January when he was sworn in. He could have sacked him in February or even on the March 1, but he allowed him to work till March, 13, 2025. So, he allowed him to work till he thought he had done enough and decided to terminate his appointment for someone else to continue,” he said.

He indicated that regardless of the fact that Dampare was a fine IGP, he couldn’t occupy that position forever.

“There comes a time when someone or something will expire… everyone and everything has an expiry date. The day, you enter a place, know that a day will come when you’ll leave. So, I’m sure Dampare knew the moment he was appointed IGP that someday he will leave and that day would come any day,” he added.

It was against this backdrop that he indicated that he fully backs the decision of President John Mahama to end the tenure of George Akuffo Dampare to appoint COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the Inspector General of Police.

Background

COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno was sworn in on March, 14, 2025, after he was appointed Inspector General of Police by President John Mahama on March 13, 2025.

In a statement by the Minister of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the president, in accordance with the constitution and the Council of State, made the appointment.

“President John Dramani Mahama has in accordance with Articles 91 and 202 of the 1992 constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, appointed Commissioner of Police (COP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the Inspector-General of Police.

“He replaces COP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare. COP Yohuno brings forty years of experience to the position of IGP and is expected to oversee the modernization and transformation of the Ghana Police Service,” the statement said.

VPO/AE