Sir John
Former General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka Sir John has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), John Kudalor of doing the bidding of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, the IGP will do himself a lot of good if he stays out of politics and concentrate on his work of ensuring a safe and peaceful Ghana.
The IGP on Thursday announced that the Ghana Police Service is considering blocking social media across the country on election day. He is concerned that social media could be used as a tool for misinformation thus posing a danger to the nation’s security during the polls.
The Police Chief said the ban could be from 7am to 5 p.m. when voting ends citing an example of Uganda where President Yoweri Museveni slapped a ban on election day.
His comments has sparked a debate among Ghanaians with the opposition political parties stating it is an abuse of fundamental human rights and an archaic and retrogressive way to contain social media abuse.
But the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has indicated that it does not have any hard and definite stance on the proposal yet.
However speaking to Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Si Me So on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie said any such move by the IGP will be creating an avenue for the NDC to get away with the party’s bad deeds on elections day.
“Does he know what happened in Uganda? Why will he cite that country as an example. In Uganda, the opposition was beaten mercilessly during that country’s election, pictures went viral on social media for the whole world to see the brutalities by the Museveni led government; and he wants to ban social media here in Ghana so that on election day such acts by the NDC will not be captured and reported.”
He said, after carefully monitoring reactions following the IGP’s word, out of the many political parties, it’s only the NDC that sides with the Police Boss.
“Once he wants to do politics, we’ll treat him like a politician and face him squarely, as the election campaign heats up, we’re not going to allow any police officer to intimidate us.”
