Leaked audio: Bugri Naabu fails to show up during committee’s first sitting

The parliamentary committee set up to investigate a leaked tape on allegations of plans by the government to remove the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare, has warned that it will not tolerate any excuses aimed at delaying its work.

The warning came after the first witness, Bugri Naabu, former New Patriotic Party’s Northern Regional Chairman, failed to show up on grounds of ill health during the committee’s initial sitting on Thursday.

The committee was thus compelled to adjourn sittings to Monday, August 28, 2023.

The Chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta-Akyea, said, “We want all witnesses to respect the committee, especially our timetable. I do not believe that it is right and proper that when people are invited to appear before the committee, they schedule a time for the committee, it should be the other way round. If you know all the sacrifices people make for the committee, people should be in their constituencies, they are here. And the witness is the one who is holding us to ransom. I expect that all those who will appear before the committee will know that time consciousness is very important for us. It’s not a witch-hunt, these are very decent members of our committee”.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, constituted a seven-member committee to investigate the leaked tape containing alleged plans by the government to remove the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office in an attempt to rig the 2024 elections.

The committee is chaired by the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta-Akyea, and includes a technical person, Dr. Isaac Lartey Annan, who is a lawyer and a human rights specialist.

The committee has been tasked with investigating the authenticity of the leaked tape, as well as the allegations contained therein.

The committee is also tasked with making recommendations on how to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.