A former Northern Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, was absent at a scheduled meeting of the seven-member Parliamentary Committee that is probing an alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office.
Mr Bugri Naabu is said to have had a discussion with some other people including top police officers on why and how to remove the current IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office.
The Parliamentary probing committee, chaired by the Abuakwa South Member of Parliament (MP), Samuel Atta Akyea, had scheduled their first meeting on Thursday, August 24, 2023, with Bugri Naabu as the first witness.
But when the committee met, Bugri Naabu was absent.
A letter signed by Raymond Dornyo, counsel for Bugri Naabu said he was not doing well and that he was ill.
The committee therefore adjourned sitting to Monday, August 28, 2023.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta-Akyea, warned that it will not tolerate any excuses aimed at delaying its work.
“We want all witnesses to respect the committee, especially our timetable. I do not believe that it is right and proper that when people are invited to appear before the committee, they schedule a time for the committee, it should be the other way round. If you know all the sacrifices people make for the committee, people should be in their constituencies, they are here. And the witness is the one who is holding us to ransom. I expect that all those who will appear before the committee will know that time consciousness is very important for us. It’s not a witch-hunt, these are very decent members of our committee”.
“It is not a witch-hunt, these are very decent members of our community,” he said, referring to the members of the committee.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has constituted a seven-member committee to investigate an alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office.
A discussion of the said plot is on audio which has been circulated on social media. One of the voices engaged in the discussion on the leaked audio is said to be that of Bugri Naabu, hence his invitation by the Parliamentary committee.
The committee has been tasked to investigate the authenticity of the leaked tape, as well as the allegations contained therein.
The committee is also assigned to make recommendations on how to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.