The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo-Dampare, has asked the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, to learn to stay within her limits.
The IGP’s caution follows comments made by Madam Thompson about the arrest of the convener of the FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
In a tweet posted on May 17, the Commissioner said “Oliver Barker Vormawor, the convener of #FixTheCountry Movement, arrested again, I understand, for a motoring offense on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes…,”
But responding to the tweet, the Ghana Police Service said her comments were “intended to tarnish the reputation of the Ghana Police Service and that of our Country.”
https://twitter.com/GhPoliceService/status/1531572373052436481?t=BCv4cBIKymL7_ekAxpd_Bg&s=19
“For the moment, we would recommend a Ghanaian saying that might guide you in your diplomatic engagements. The saying goes “di wo fie as3m” – it means learn to keep within the limits of what concerns you”, a letter signed by the IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare to Harriet Thompson read.
According to the police, Barker-Vormawor was among other drivers who were arrested separately for road traffic offences and he was taken through due process.
They thus, queried why he was the only focus of the British envoy.
The police explained that “Ordinarily, the Ghana Police Service would not have responded to comments such as yours, obviously made from either a biased or uninformed position. However, we have learned from a previous painful experience that it has not been helpful to ignore such misguided, unwarranted, and biased comments intended to tarnish the reputation of the Ghana Police Service and that of our country.”
“What is more, we consider your tweet a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 which enjoins diplomatic missions not to interfere in the internal affairs of their host country,” it added.
Meanwhile, some Ghanaians have taken to Twitter to express their views on the IGP’s four paged letter to the British High Commissioner.
https://twitter.com/YouthAllianceM2/status/1531589867678965763?t=-raBPYILrerFEeRyUo2hiw&s=19
https://twitter.com/sethaadusei/status/1531596999761580033?t=O7nzKQHfw5NoQ26zdGAApA&s=19
