GH₵10k monthly from IGP and 40,000 police boots contract – Bugri Naabu exposes IGP
The controversial IGP leaked tape has opened a can of worms, with the mystery surrounding activities at the Ghana Police Service and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akufo Dampare unravelled day-by-day.
Investigations by The Ghana Report have revealed more information, raising questions about ethics and professionalism in the Ghana police hierarchy.
Senior police officer COP Alex Mensah, together with Emmanuel Eric Gyebi and George Lysander Asare, both Superintendents, were captured in a conversation ostensibly plotting to remove the current IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, before the 2024 general elections.
But the third witness, Superintendent George Asare, who appeared before a committee tasked by parliament to probe the matter, left a cliffhanger before adjournment on Monday, September 4.
He alleged that the IGP had dealings with former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Northern Regional Chairman, Chief Bugri Naabu.
According to him, Mr Naabu was promised rewards, which motivated him (Bugri Naabu) to get recordings of him (Superintendent Asare) and COP Mensah to be given to IGP Dr. Dampare.
“I have Alhaji Bugri Naabu on tape, everything he came to say here, on video in his office. His relationship with IGP and contracts, 40,000 boots contract,” he alleged.
Even before the dust settles, The Ghana Report has obtained recordings of Bugri Naabu singing like a canary on the supposed contract.
Describing the relationship between himself (Mr. Naabu) and the IGP, he said, “I was introduced to him from the time he was, I would say, lobbying to be the IGP. I knew him when he was lobbying; his name came up about IGP. That was the time I got to know. The time he came up looking for the appointment, I was at home then. When he wanted to join the IGP, some people came with him to introduce him to me.”
Mr Naabu said there was an arrangement for him to receive monies via another police officer named DCOP Frimpong.
“He was going to be giving me some money. Not him. The police was going to be giving me some allowances every month from Frimpong.
“If he can’t come, I can send my boys to pick it. That one I have been receiving, but not as a bribe”.
Mr Naabu was emphatic that: “IGP gave me more than GHC10,000”.
He continued: “I have not been given any contract…He was to give me contract for boots, and later that contract was given to one contractor who was supposed to give us 10% so that I would give part of it to the young boys, which they had promised but…the money didn’t come. The guy never brought the money”.
“IG told me that we should bring a company. I submitted the company [but] they didn’t take the company.
“He was to give the contract of 40,000 boots…up till now, nothing has come, but before I could hear, one gentleman had taken the contract”.
“The person has been paid [but] he didn’t honour the payment for our share so that we could also give others”.
Meanwhile, IGP, Dr. Dampare is yet to respond to these allegations and others levelled against him by COP Mensah and Superintendent Asare.
While some security analysts have argued that the committee must invite the IGP to present his side of the story, others argue that it would be needless.
However, the committee has not ruled out an invitation to the IGP as members deliberate on issues to fix a date for the next hearing after they obtained other secret tapes.