IGP Dampare responds to UK diplomat’s tweet
Police Chief asks diplomat to ‘stay in her lane’
Diplomat says her tweet was not received as she had intended it
‘I wasn’t after a response from the IGP at all,’ – British High Commissioner speaks
Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, has spoken for the first time after the Ghana Police Service published a four-page letter addressed to her over a tweet she made last month.
The tweet of May 17 bordered on the arrest of #FixTheCountry campaigner, Oliver Barker-Vormawor for a road traffic offence. But the letter from the Police, signed by Inspector General George Akuffo Dampare said she had overstepped her limits with the tweet.
Addressing the fallout from the publication of the letter in an interview on GHOne TV’s May 31, 2022 evening news, the diplomat said it was clear that the tweet she posted had not been received the way it was intended.
“It is clear from the reaction that it has not been received in the way that it was intended. I wasn’t after a response from the IGP at all, when I comment on social media, I comment about all sorts of things which I am interested in,” she said.
She stressed that her comments on social media were purely aligned to opening up about what it is to be High Commissioner in a country like Ghana, posting about places, people and so on… “so I don’t necessarily look for any response.”
She said she has had a brilliant year, since assuming the role and was focused on getting to know Ghana a little bit more. “I have a long way to go and so I am looking forward to moving beyond this incident and continuing to work with the Ghanaian Police Force (Service) as well as the many other institutions, bodies and organizations that we enjoy such good relations with.”
Dampare dominates news with letter to UK envoy
Inspector-General of Police George Akuffo-Dampare has been in the news for the better part of Tuesday, May 31, 2022, after a four-page letter signed by him was published by the Ghana Police Service.
A four-page letter from the Inspector General of Police, COP Dr. George Akuffo-Addo Dampare to the British High Commissioner has sparked conversation on various platforms since its release.
The letter dated 20th May, 2022 addressed issues raised in a tweet by Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, regarding the arrest of #FixTheCountry Movement Convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
Her tweet of May 17, 2022, read,
“Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes.”
But the IGP in his response described the content of the tweet as unnecessary and biased. He further urged that the diplomat keeps within the limits of what concerns her.
“For the moment, we would recommend a Ghanaian saying that might guide you in your diplomatic engagements. The saying goes: ‘di wo fie asem’ – it means learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you,” the concluding parts of the statement signed by the IGP said.
Below is the full letter as released and shared by the Ghana Police Service on their Facebook page on Tuesday, May 31, 2022:
