Retired COP Alex Mensah announces bid for Bekwai parliamentary seat

Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah has officially bid farewell from the Ghana Police Service and unveiled his intention to run as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bekwai constituency.

The announcement arrives in the midst of controversy swirling around COP Alex Mensah’s involvement in the leaked audio recording that featured discussions about the potential removal of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.

COP Mensah has already faced questioning by the Parliamentary Committee responsible for investigating this matter.

During his appearance, the recently retired senior police officer did not mince words, describing Dampare’s management style as the “most challenging” the Ghana Police Service has encountered in over three decades.

In an exclusive interview with Accra-based Angel FM, COP Mensah confirmed his bold step into the political arena and expressed his desire to vie for the parliamentary seat in Bekwai. He stated emphatically, “I have contemplated this decision deeply. I will run, I will run.”

While he did not explicitly specify the political party under whose banner he intends to campaign, COP Mensah had previously disclosed his leanings towards the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the hearings conducted by the ad-hoc committee.

Responding to inquiries posed by Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, regarding his political affiliations as evidenced in the leaked audio tape, COP Mensah acknowledged his family’s longstanding association with the United Party (UP) tradition, which ultimately gave rise to the NPP. He declared, “Mr. Chairman, my family has maintained allegiance to the UP tradition since my birth, and that continues to be the case.” Moreover, he confirmed his status as a sympathizer of the NPP.

Pressed further by Eric Opoku to clarify whether he was merely a sympathizer or a party member, COP Mensah firmly responded, “Yes, Mr. Chairman. I’ve stated it unequivocally—I am a sympathizer of the NPP.”

The announcement of COP Mensah’s foray into politics is sure to be met with keen interest and scrutiny as the political landscape in Bekwai takes shape in the coming months.

Bekwai constituencyCOP Alex MensahNPP