Solomon Owusu, Director of Communications for the United Party (UP), is urging Ghanaians to dismiss the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) if they present themselves as the best option for change in the next elections.
He has questioned the credibility of a party that fails to practice what it preaches, suggesting it cannot be trusted with power to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
His remarks come on the back of the NPP’s petition to the Diplomatic Corps regarding the alleged political harassment and intimidation of its members.
The appeal was made during the presentation of a petition to Her Excellency Imane Ouaadil, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Ghana and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana.
Presenting the petition on behalf of the party, MP for Weija-Gbawe and Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, called on the international community to remain vigilant and actively engaged in protecting Ghana’s democratic principles.
Among the party’s requests were calls for the international community to publicly reaffirm the importance of freedom of expression, judicial independence, due process, and political tolerance within Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
The petition also urged the diplomatic community to engage the Government of Ghana on what the NPP described as the increasing misuse of criminal prosecutions against opposition political figures and dissenting voices.
Additionally, the party called for the immediate cessation of what it termed politically motivated arrests, prosecutions, arbitrary detentions, and intimidation targeting opposition figures, journalists, and activists.
“This government headed by President John Dramani Mahama does not understand that the Criminal Libel Law was repealed and that he has brought back the culture of silence again,” Ahmed Shaib said.
Reacting to the development, Owusu noted that the National Organiser of the Party, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, who was also present during the presentation, had in 2022, called for the arrest of Mensah Thompson, for publishing fake news.
Nana B had quoted Section 76 of the Electronic Communications Act, calling on security agencies to arrest Mr. Mensah for misinforming the public. Juxtaposing the two scenarios, Solomon Owusu maintained that the NPP cannot be trusted as a political party.
“Nana B is advising in 2022 so what has changed? That’s why I’m saying they are double-faced. They are not people that must be taken seriously. If these people are the ones campaigning to you that they are coming to change your lives, how would you trust them because they say something today and they change it tomorrow,” he indicated.
Section 76 of the Act state as follows: (1) A person who by means of electronic communications service, knowingly sends a communication which is false or misleading and likely to prejudice the efficiency of life saving service or to endanger the safety of any person, ship, aircraft, vessel or vehicle commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than three thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than five years or both.
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