Economic policy expert Senyo Hosi has weighed in on the dismissal of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, describing it as a situation where competence became a liability. According to Hosi, President John Mahama’s decision to remove Dampare had less to do with underperformance and more to do with internal tensions arising from his effective leadership.
During an interview on The KeyPoints show hosted by Alfred Ocansey, Hosi remarked that Dampare “became a victim of his good work.” He explained that while many officers embraced the former IGP’s modern reforms, others clung to outdated methods, creating a rift within the service. This division, Hosi argued, may have influenced the president’s difficult choice to make a change at the top.
President Mahama subsequently appointed COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno an experienced officer with forty years in policing to head the Ghana Police Service and advance institutional transformation.
Hosi also noted that the president likely still holds great respect for Dampare’s accomplishments, but external pressure from civil groups demanding that Dampare remain in office complicated matters. “The president’s hand was forced because such advocacy risked undermining his authority,” Hosi observed.
He added that Dampare’s departure was unplanned and possibly premature, emphasizing that it stemmed from deep-seated institutional resistance rather than personal failure. Hosi concluded that the former IGP’s removal underscores the challenges faced by reformists who seek to modernize traditional systems resistant to change.
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