Samuel Atta Akyea, Chairman of the ‘Dampare-leaked tape’ committee has rejected allegations of bias levelled against him by some entities including legal representatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the matter being probed by the committee.
The Abuakwa South Member of Parliament says the committee knows what it has been tasked to do and has not exceeded its jurisdictions as being claimed.
His stance come after lawyer of Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Kwame Gyan, accused him of pursuing his own agenda in the ongoing probe with his biases against the IGP.
Dr. Gyan’s allegations had been preceded by that of a Political Science Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Edward Van Gyampo, who has also given justifications for Mr. Atta Akyea to be ousted as Chairman of the ad-hoc committee for being bias. The lecturer appealed to Parliament to reshuffle the MP as Chair of the committee for compromising the neutrality of the probe.
But Mr. Atta Akyea has strongly rejected the assertion that the committee members are oblivious of their role, saying their responsibilities are unambiguous and has cautioned against attempts by the public to dictate to members their scope of work.
“That is totally baseless, nobody can educate us about our remit. Our remit is clear, and we understand what we are doing as a committee. So, if anybody says we are trying to exceed our remit, in what areas are we trying to exceed our remit?
“Sometimes when people appear before the committee and begin to dictate as to how we should work. I find it very sad. We try to be very civil and polite but don’t walk before a committee and tell the committee what you think the committee should do. You think we are dummies and don’t know our left from right. It is unfortunate and unprofessional,” he said on Accra-based Citi FM Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Parliament constituted a 7-member committee to probe a leaked tape allegedly plotting to oust the IGP from office. In the audio, voices of three top police officers and that of a former Northern region Chair of the NPP, Daniel Bugri Naabu, were heard saying the continuous stay of the Dr. Dampare in office as IGP will hamper the chances of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from retaining power after the 2024 elections. All persons involved have appeared before the committee which went on a break to resume for an in-camera session of the probe yesterday.
READ ALSO: IGP’s leaked tape: Dampare’s lawyer accuses Atta Akyea of bias, pursuing his own agenda
