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Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has called on Ghanaians to respect President John Dramani Mahama’s authority to make decisions regarding the leadership of the country’s security agencies.
According to him, the President’s ability to appoint officials who align with his security vision is critical to ensuring stability and effective governance.
His remarks follow a legal challenge filed by IMANI Africa and security expert Professor Kwesi Aning, seeking to prevent President Mahama from removing the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
The petition argues that such dismissals should only occur in cases of proven misconduct. Despite the court case, the Jubilee House has confirmed Dr Dampare’s removal as part of ongoing security sector reforms.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, Toobu emphasised that the appointment and dismissal of security chiefs have historically been the President’s prerogative since the inception of the 1992 Constitution.
He described the legal challenge as an attempt to test the law but maintained that the practice of Presidents selecting their own security leadership has long been the norm.
“The law is being tested for the first time. Since 1992, every President has had the right to appoint and dismiss an IGP, and this has been the precedent. Now, the court is being asked to decide whether the President can remove the IGP without proven misconduct. Let us wait for the ruling,” he stated.
Toobu further clarified that Dr Dampare’s removal was not an indictment of his performance but rather a strategic decision by President Mahama to appoint individuals who align with his broader security vision.
“The President has a responsibility to ensure that Ghanaians can sleep peacefully at night. That does not mean the outgoing IGP is incompetent. It simply means the President has a vision and is selecting those he believes will best help him achieve it,” he explained.
