'Dictator' Akufo-Addo persecuting 'ethical, professional' Agordzo, Toobu, Kofi Boakye – NDC

Ghana’s biggest opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused President Nana Akufo-Addo of using the recent allegedly botched coup plot as a pretext to “persecute” top police officers such as ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, COP Nathan Kofi Boakye and Superintendent Peter Toobu (Rtd) as part of a grand scheme to “purge” the security agencies.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, described the matter as “dangerous”.

“While many were still trying to fathom the extent of the claims of subversion, little did Ghanaians know that it would become the pretext under which an intolerant and dictatorial President Akufo-Addo would go after his perceived enemies and exact retribution against some high-level security officers in the country”, the statement said.

“We are convinced”, the NDC noted, “That these invitations and detentions are part of a grander effort to sully the reputations of these officers with the view to silencing them and ultimately removing them from their positions”.

The party said: “These acts of intimidation, harassment and wanton arrests which appear to have ethnic undertones, are in line with the intolerant disposition of President Akufo-Addo who appears bent on crushing dissent of any sort. He has proven incapable of taking criticism and serious scrutiny of his haphazard stewardship of the affairs of the state, and has spared no effort in using the state apparatus to hound critical voices in society who have at one time or the other denounced his poor governance”.

“For daring to demand professionalism and non-interference in the work of the Police Service, COP Kofi Boakye, ACP Dr Agordzo and Mr. Peter Toobu have become the latest victims of a purge obviously intended to silence officers and men unhappy with the recruitment of suspected brigands into the Ghana Police Service to be used to harass and intimidate political opponents”, the NDC alleged in its statement captured in full below.

STATEMENT BY NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ON THE ONGOING PURGE OF THE SECURITY AGENCIES

The National Democratic Congress has become increasingly worried about a dangerous and provocative purge of the Security Agencies under the guise of investigations into alleged subversive activities.

In the last few weeks, the Akufo-Addo government has targeted progressive and highly ethical senior police officers who have, in the past, voiced concern about the ills in our society. These senior officers have been hauled in and, in some instances, detained in BNI custody over supposed investigations into the alleged coup plots.

The Akufo-Addo administration sometime last month presented claims of an alleged coup plot by a group it claims it had been tailing for months. The claims were met with widespread derision and mockery by a hugely sceptical Ghanaian public who dismissed it as a mere gambit by a government reeling under massive unpopularity owing to its very poor performance.

While many were still trying to fathom the extent of the claims of subversion, little did Ghanaians know that it would become the pretext under which an intolerant and dictatorial President Akufo-Addo would go after his perceived enemies and exact retribution against some high-level security officers in the country.

Late last week, news filtered in of the questioning of COP Kofi Boakye, who is regarded as one of the very fine officers the Police Service has produced, by the BNI over alleged contacts with supposed coup plotters. Mr Kofi Boakye’s invitation came alongside the arrest and detention of ACP Dr Agordzo over similar claims.

A few days later, word spread of the intended arrest of Mr. Peter Toobu, former Executive Assistant to the Ex-IGP, David Asante-Apeatu. Mr Toobu doubles as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Wa West.

In between the period, another parliamentary candidate of the NDC had been questioned in connection with the same matter.

We are convinced that these invitations and detentions are part of a grander effort to sully the reputations of these officers with the view to silencing them and ultimately removing them from their positions.

These acts of intimidation, harassment and wanton arrests which appear to have ethnic undertones, are in line with the intolerant disposition of President Akufo-Addo who appears bent on crushing dissent of any sort. He has proven incapable of taking criticism and serious scrutiny of his haphazard stewardship of the affairs of the state, and has spared no effort in using the state apparatus to hound critical voices in society who have at one time or the other denounced his poor governance.

For daring to demand professionalism and non-interference in the work of the Police Service, COP Kofi Boakye, ACP Dr Agordzo and Mr. Peter Toobu have become the latest victims of a purge obviously intended to silence officers and men unhappy with the recruitment of suspected brigands into the Ghana Police Service to be used to harass and intimidate political opponents.

The persecuted Police Officers are not alone in their travails. They join a growing list of individuals who have suffered greatly for speaking truth to power and holding the corrupt Akufo-Addo government to account.

Journalists, religious leaders, opinion leaders and public servants who have been moved by the maladministration of Mr. Akufo-Addo to speak out or act in accordance with Ghanaian law have been marked for mistreatment by agents of the President.

A case in point is current Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, who has become the victim of fabricated charges of wrongdoing which are clearly intended to instigate his ouster in a manner akin to former Electoral Commission boss, Charlotte Osei. Mr Dumelevo’s unrelenting anti-corruption campaign and fearless surcharge of Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo, over the $1 million Kroll corruption scandal has triggered the angst of President Akufo-Addo who has proven to be a defender of corrupt appointees. For his troubles, Mr Domelevo has been the subject of trumped-up charges put together by NPP surrogate group, AFAG.

We condemn this needless victimisation and harassment of noble Ghanaian citizens in no uncertain terms and demand an immediate end to the persecution which will yield nothing more than a needless rise in the political and social temperature.

We in the NDC wish to make it clear, that we will resist with our very last breath any attempt by President Akufo-Addo to turn Ghana into a dictatorship or monarchy just to satisfy his delusions of grandeur.

We will not keep quiet as he runs the ship of state aground and lead an otherwise stable country into an abyss.

His selective application of the law and defence of wrongdoing by his party members have not gone unnoticed by us. Having failed to apply Ghanaian law in a fair and just manner, we shall not permit the misuse of that same law to harass innocent citizens who have only dared to speak in an effort to save the country from collapse.

ISSUED ON FRIDAY 8th NOVEMBER, 2019

Signed

JOHNSON ASIEDU NKETIAH

General Secretary