A prominent Ghanaian journalist and lawyer, Samson Lardi Anyenini, is calling out Ghana's new police chief with a bold message. He wants Christian Tetteh Yohuno to completely overhaul the communication strategy implemented by his predecessor, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Under Dampare's leadership, the police communication system became highly centralized. Regional and district-level police representatives were banned from directly engaging with journalists or the public about local security matters. Every communication had to funnel through headquarters in Accra, with official press statements as the only conduit of information.
Anyenini argues that this approach is fundamentally flawed and potentially unconstitutional. He believes local officers closest to incidents should be the ones communicating with the public, not a public relations officer sitting far away in the capital. The journalist claims media stakeholders repeatedly tried to convince Dampare to change the system, but he remained obstinate.
The legal practitioner suggests that instead of investing in a costly police television station, the service should leverage existing media platforms. He emphasized the importance of transparency and public interaction, arguing that communication should align with constitutional principles of public access to information. Anyenini hopes the new Inspector General will restore a more open and responsive communication approach.
Under Dampare's leadership, the police communication system became highly centralized. Regional and district-level police representatives were banned from directly engaging with journalists or the public about local security matters. Every communication had to funnel through headquarters in Accra, with official press statements as the only conduit of information.
Anyenini argues that this approach is fundamentally flawed and potentially unconstitutional. He believes local officers closest to incidents should be the ones communicating with the public, not a public relations officer sitting far away in the capital. The journalist claims media stakeholders repeatedly tried to convince Dampare to change the system, but he remained obstinate.
The legal practitioner suggests that instead of investing in a costly police television station, the service should leverage existing media platforms. He emphasized the importance of transparency and public interaction, arguing that communication should align with constitutional principles of public access to information. Anyenini hopes the new Inspector General will restore a more open and responsive communication approach.
