Mr. Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee probing the leaked audio/video recording proposing the clandestine ouster of the Inspector General of Police, has been accused of being biased.
His accuser, Prof. Ransford Yaw Gyampo, a political scientist at the University of Ghana, is therefore asking the Committee’s chairman to recuse himself.
“You aren’t smarter than Ghanaians. We can glean your partiality. Your body language, line of questioning and recurring remarks consistently hints at personal biases against the IGP,” Prof. Gyampo said in his opening letter to Atta Akyea.
The controversial audiovisual is said to have leaked from a conversation between top police officers and former Northern Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party.
The conversation on the recording suggests solicitations by influence-peddling policemen seeking that the current Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare be ousted from office so someone more sympathetic to the cause of the ruling party replaces him.
The seven-member Parliamentary Committee charged by the Speaker of Parliament to investigate the leaked tape has so far met all those connected to the tape including the Inspector General of Police – both in-camera and publicly.
But Prof. Gyampo, after days of observing sittings of the Committee, believes the conduct of the Chairman leaves much to be desired.
Nuisance role
“You don’t look like a credible chairman of any important committee. Rather, you look more like a defense counsel for the bitter police officers whose quest to be made IGPs so they can subvert the will of the people has been exposed.
“It is not by force to chair this committee, especially when your work output is more of a disservice. If you don’t have any personal interest in this matter, then recuse yourself or get replaced by Speaker, as your role is more of a nuisance, and annoying, particularly when you think we are unable to read in between the lines.
“Just recuse yourself, it is not by force!”