Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee, James Agalga, has called on the Speaker of Parliament to promptly facilitate the presentation of the Special Ad-hoc Committee’s report on the leaked tape involving IGP Akuffo-Dampare.
The tape, which surfaced on July 11, 2023, captures a conversation between a police commissioner, two other officers, and a former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bugri Naabu discussing plans to remove IGP Dampare from his position.
Speaker of Parliament on July 25, 2023 set up a seven member ad-hoc committee to probe the leaked tape involving IGP Akuffo-Dampare.
After close to a year of investigations Agalga, also the MP for Builsa North and former vice chairman of the committee has announced its readiness to present its report before the house.
He voiced concern in Parliament about delays in the committee’s proceedings, citing potential public speculation. Emphasizing the public interest in the report, he urged the Speaker to expedite its presentation by June 18, 2024.
“Mr Speaker, that report is ready and before we went on recess, it was listed as one of the papers to be presented for the consideration of the House.
“Now, given the public interest character of that report, Mr Speaker, I want to use this medium to appeal to you to direct the business committee to list, as a matter of urgent importance, that particular report for us to deal with as a matter of urgency starting from next Tuesday,” Mr Agalga noted in Parliament on Friday, June 14th, 2024.
He stressed: “Because this thing (the report) has been on the ice, it has given room for all manner of speculation about the report, so it’s high time we bring closure to that report.”
Chaired by Samuel Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South, the committee was assigned to probe a leaked audio involving senior officers discussing the removal of the IGP in conversation with former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chief Bugri Naabu.
In the recording, the officers cited the IGP’s professionalism made him resistant to compromise, among other issues.