Mahama must play the Ofosu Ampofo audio to the international community- Defenders Of Ghana’s democracy

A civil society group by name Defenders Of Ghana’s Democracy, have called on Mr. John Mahama, Ghana’s former President, to quickly update the international community on his party Chairman’s alleged kidnapping comments which has been described by many as distateful.

In an address by the group to the media, they also urged Mr. Mahama to also give an account of the NDC’s recent intra-party shooting which led to the killing of one person at its Ashanti Regional headquarters to the foreign missions he recently interacted with.

Full statement below...

Good morning ladies and Gentlemen of the Media

Democracy is undeniably a competition of ideas and struggle for power to rule. This intrinsic nature makes democracy and conflict inseparable twins. What we have been able to do commendably as a nation is our by-partisan approach and determinations to suppress the occurrence of conflict in order to allow our multiparty democracy a chance to flourish flamboyantly.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama, in his characteristic fashion, picked and chose when he sought to disgrace Ghana to the international community. Instead of being an Ambassador for the great strides the country is making in its bid to emancipate the country economically, Mr. Mahama chose to embark on a political mission aimed at painting Ghana black to the outside world.

The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election came with its attendant issues, matters it would not be prudent to mention once again since they are well known.

As though he were suffering from a selective illness or amnesia, candidate Mahama assembled the diplomatic corps in the country, showed them videos of what he termed as the atrocities incidental to the by-election held in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Our collective efforts to suppress the occurrence of conflict in our body politics notwithstanding, various by-elections, general elections and even local elections held in this country have recorded some degree of misunderstandings and clashes. Few of such manifestations worth mentioning here include the political violence recorded at Talensi, Akwatia and Chereponi by-elections and the politically motivated clashes at Agbogbloshie, Suame and the recent NDC’s intra-party shooting and killing of one person at its Ashanti Regional Headquarters recently. We are, by this press event, asking Mr. Mahama to stop his hypocrisy by showing the atrocious crimes committed against Ghanaians during the Talensi, Akwatia, Chereponi, Amenfi Central and Asawase by-elections to the same people he showcased that of Ayawaso West Wuogon skirmishes to.

At Talensi, it was a normal Tuesday when that constituency was warming up for a ….. By-election. The poll started peacefully but before the elections would be over Talensi broke loose and pandemonium took over. Gunshots took over the atmosphere. There were incidents where the “Azorka boys” were able to cross a police barrier some meters to the NPP constituency office. They fired bullets at NPP members. NPP members had to run helter-skelter. Many were rushed to the hospital with injuries.

At Agbobloshie, Hon. Ursula Owusu Akuffo (MP for Ablekuma south and now Minister of Communication) was touring the constituency to urge NPP supporters in the constituency to register in a biometric registration exercise when she was attacked by heavily built men who were known followers of Nii Lante Vanderpuye. She was slapped by these men, who held broken bottles. They hurled stones at her whiles she run for cover in one of the shops around the area. She suffered injuries to her face and other parts of her body.

Aside the election related conflicts, there were also peaceful demonstrations such as “Kumepreko” and “Let My Vote Count” where Police brutalities resulted in the death of one person and the maiming of several others.

As far as the good image of the Republic of Ghana is concerned, we the citizens of this country will not sit down and allow Mr. John Dramani Mahama to use one sided, falsified and dishonest analysis to stale the hard earned cordial relationship between Ghana and the diplomatic community.

We would also like Mr. Mahama to play the Ofosu Ampofo audio to the international community for them to know the wicked plans of the NDC and its antecedents.

We are using this opportunity to also call on the leadership of the Church of Pentecost to, as a matter of urgency, excommunicate Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo. One of the core values of the Church of Pentecost is Discipleship. The church trains believers to be like Christ. The emphasis is on holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, honesty, sincerity, humility, prayerfulness and the leading of disciplined and responsible lives. This is done at the level of individuals, where every member takes responsibility to discipline their new coverts, as well as through the church. Clearly Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo was doing the opposite when he was speaking to his party people. He has dragged the name of the revered church into disrepute.

Mr. Ofosu Ampofo does not deserve to hold any leadership position in any church since he carries himself as a saint in public but acts like a sibling of Lucifer in the dark.

Former President Mahama and his party leadership owe Ghanaians an unequivocal apology for planning to topple a legitimately instituted government.

Anything short of these demands would spring us into action to activate the next line of action.