A Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Owusu Bempah, has called for the arrest of the publishers of the controversial Agyapadee document, labeling it a politically motivated attack orchestrated by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a statement, Owusu Bempah indicated that Ghana has witnessed a surge in politics of deception with the Agyapadee document being at the centre of this discourse. The 38-page publication, which lacks a clear author, prominently features the Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, alongside images of President Nana Akufo-Addo and his late father.
It outlines a strategy for a specific family or clan to dominate various sectors, including the economy, politics, and media, among others.
Owusu Bempah noted that President Akufo-Addo addressed rumors surrounding the document, dismissing its claims as unfounded, emphasizing the publication is part of a broader campaign of misinformation aimed at undermining his administration ahead of the upcoming elections.
He referenced the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, while also highlighting the legal implications of false publications.
He further pointed out that the Criminal Offenses Act of 1960 categorizes false publications that could incite public unrest as a misdemeanor. He has therefore urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to investigate the matter thoroughly and hold those responsible accountable.
“The Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, as a matter of urgency, must arrest the people behind the publication of this fictional document and bring them to face the full rigours of the law,” he stated.
The noisy Deputy Communication Director of the NPP has also accused key figures in the NDC, including Dr. Omane Boamah and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of being involved in the publication.
“As a country, we cannot look on for the NDC to always peddle brazen and wicked falsehoods and later turn around to say this is politics,” he noted.
He criticized the Awake News platform, claiming it has a history of disseminating fake news without facing consequences.
“On this current issue, the publishers of Awake News must be subjected to the full rigours of the law to deter them from hiding behind social media to create confusion in the system, “ he emphasized
Owusu Bempah asserted that the NDC’s tactics of spreading falsehoods must not be tolerated, urging law enforcement to act decisively against those behind the Agyapadie document to prevent further misinformation.
By Ghananewsonline.com.gh