Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has accused former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of applying a double standard in his criticism of the arrest of persons accused of making threats against President John Dramani Mahama.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the issue should not be presented as a crackdown on free speech, arguing that citizens remain free to criticise the government and public officials without fear of arrest.
He said the distinction lies between legitimate criticism and statements that threaten the life of the President or undermine national security.
“It is clear that they are confused about what they are demonstrating about. In one breath, it’s about the judiciary. In another breath, it is not. Nobody has been picked up for free speech.”
According to him, several members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including individuals who have openly criticised the government, continue to express their views publicly without being arrested.
He cited the case of NPP communicator Anavin, who, according to him, held a press conference after a recent court ruling to make a number of allegations against government officials without being picked up.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu, however, said making threats against the life of the President was fundamentally different from political criticism.
“But if you sit on TikTok and threaten the life of a president, you say you will behead the president, put him in a coco sack and attack his wife, you cannot go scot-free.”
He argued that such threats would attract legal consequences even in established democracies, noting that threats against political leaders could constitute serious security concerns.
“If you threaten somebody’s life, let alone that of a president, they are not going to catch up with you. Or if you make pronouncements that threaten the peace or is likely to undermine the security of a country.”
The Minister further challenged Dr Bawumia to demonstrate consistency in his position on freedom of expression and threats against political figures, arguing that his current criticism should be assessed against his conduct while serving as Vice President.
He referred to a case involving claims by Bobi Ansah against the then First Lady, Madam Rebecca Akufo-Addo, during the previous administration, saying the matter eventually went before the courts.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the case was still ongoing and questioned whether Dr Bawumia, who was Vice President at the time, publicly intervened or expressed concern over the matter.
“What was Dr Bawumia’s position on that? Did he offer a whimper at the time when he had power? At a time when he was in a position to influence? No, he didn’t do so.”
He therefore dismissed Dr Bawumia’s latest criticism as politically motivated, arguing that the former Vice President was seeking to take advantage of the issue for political gain.
“So nobody can take this latest pronouncement seriously. He’s only attempting to take advantage. He’s a convenient politician.”
His comments come amid renewed debate over freedom of expression, threats against public officials and the conduct of the government and security agencies in dealing with politically sensitive statements.
Source: Newspyramid.com
