Commentary, Opinion

𝗦acked or Swapped? How headlines shape the story of Dampare’s removal

President John Dramani Mahama has named COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno as the new Inspector-General of Police on March 13, 2025. The announcement, grounded in the President’s constitutional authority and made after consultation with the Council of State, signaled a shift in leadership within the Ghana Police Service. Yet, the way this transition was packaged in headlines across media outlets revealed more than just a change in personnel. To me, it exposed the subtle art of sensationalism and its impact on public perception.

For instance, the term ‘𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨’, prominently splashed across headline-graphics and news outlets, implies a harsh; almost punitive dismissal of Dampare (a man widely recognized for his reforms and disciplined leadership since assuming office in 2021).

Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.

“𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 John Dramani Mahama 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙄𝙂𝙋 𝘿𝙧. 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝘼𝙠𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙤 𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚“, one headline blared, as it conjures images of disgrace or failure. But does this 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘣 align with the reality of the situation?

Official reports frame the move as part of a broader restructuring effort under Mahama’s administration, that is; a ‘routine transition’ rather than a scandalous ousting. The gap between “sacks” and the more neutral “replaces” or “appoints” is where the story takes on a life of its own.

In journalism, headlines are the hook. They are short, sharp and designed to grab attention in a crowded (digital) media landscape. “Sacks” fits this mold perfectly. It is a word loaded with emotion, implying conflict, rejection, or incompetence. For Dr. Dampare, whose tenure has been marked by community engagement initiatives and internal discipline measures, such a term risks overshadowing his legacy with an exaggerated narrative of downfall.

Contrast this with the official narrative. The headline-graphic of GHOne reads, “𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙖 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝘾𝙊𝙋 𝙏𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙝 𝙔𝙤𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬, 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮, 14𝙩𝙝 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 2025.” No mention of disgrace, no hint of punitive action—just a leadership change. Ostensibly, GHOne’s headline-graphic avoids sensationalism, instead providing a factual account of the transition. This approach is refreshing and meaningful, especially when compared to other outlets that resort to sensationalism to compete with the visceral pull of a word like “𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨.”

Few may disagree, but this is not a new phenomenon in Ghanaian media or beyond. Headlines have long been a battleground for shaping public opinion, especially around high-profile figures like Dampare. When he was appointed in 2021 by then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, most media outlets hailed him as 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙄𝙂𝙋 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙚𝙩𝙘. Fast forward to 2023, when a leaked audio surfaced suggesting a plot to remove him, and headlines oscillated between intrigue “𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗚𝗣 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱” and defense “𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗺”. Now, with his exit, the pendulum swings again, with “𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨” casting a shadow over his achievements.

The choice of words matters because it shapes public perception. A headline like “Mahama Sacks Dampare” feeds into the controversy surrounding his replacement. Skimming the news sites through the average reader’s lens, the headline is often the whole story. “Sacks” tells a fiery story and defeat. One may ask: should media outlets temper their language to acknowledge the ambiguity of the situation, or is the onus on readers to dig deeper? Well, as a professional journalist, I think that in an era of knee-jerk reactions, the latter feels overly optimistic. A more neutral headline, “𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗼” lacks punch but allows the facts to breathe without being suffocated by hyperbole.

Dr. Dampare’s career, from a constable at age 20 to a PhD-holding IGP, spans decades of service, culminating in a role where he reshaped policing in Ghana. COP Yohuno, his successor, brings his own pedigree, having risen through the ranks to Deputy IGP. The transition itself is a story of continuity and change, not a sensational story of dismissal. So senior editors, please always be there to approve first. As the saying goes, “well done is better than well said,” and in journalism, accuracy is the best editor.