In a move that has sent shockwaves through Ghana’s political and security landscape, President John Mahama has dismissed Dr. George Akuffo Dampare as Inspector General of Police (IGP). While the President’s authority to make such a decision is not in question, the controversy surrounding it has reignited a legal battle over the limits of presidential power.
IMANI Africa, a leading policy think tank, is at the center of this legal challenge. Its president, Franklin Cudjoe, has made it clear that their legal action is not politically motivated but rather a principled effort to establish clear constitutional boundaries.
“This morning’s injunction filed by our lawyers was in furtherance of a suit filed by IMANI and Prof. Kwesi Aning LAST YEAR, in March 2024, at the Supreme Court—nine months before the December elections,” Cudjoe clarified.
Dismissing allegations that the lawsuit was aimed at frustrating President Mahama’s new administration, Cudjoe emphasized that the legal action was triggered by widespread reports of Dampare’s removal.
At the heart of IMANI’s argument is a fundamental constitutional question: Can the President unilaterally dismiss the heads of Ghana’s security agencies?
Cudjoe and his team argue that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana does not grant the President absolute authority over security service heads. Citing multiple constitutional provisions, IMANI is seeking a Supreme Court ruling that would prohibit the arbitrary removal of key security officials unless specific conditions—such as proven misconduct or misbehavior—are met.
This legal challenge extends beyond the Police Service. IMANI is also pushing for protections for leaders of the Fire Service, Prisons Service, and Immigration Service, ensuring that their tenure cannot be cut short at the President’s discretion.
Cudjoe pointed to past instances where security agency heads were dismissed before reaching retirement age, drawing parallels to Dr. Dampare’s case.
“For instance, in 2017, the then Director-General of the Prisons Service, Emmanuel Yao Adzator, was asked to proceed on leave at the age of 54, and another was appointed in his stead,” he recalled. “Today, Dr. Dampare, also aged 54, has been removed by a new President without any constitutional justification.”
With the Supreme Court set to rule on the matter on May 7, 2025, the case could redefine the scope of presidential authority in Ghana. If successful, IMANI’s challenge could place significant limits on a sitting President’s power to appoint or dismiss the heads of key security agencies.
Until then, the nation watches closely as this legal showdown unfolds, with the potential to reshape Ghana’s governance and security institutions for years to come.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Gumedzo Isaac Acheampong
