Punishment for #DropThatChamber Soldier too harsh – Amnesty International

Amnesty International has described as harsh the punishment meted to the soldier who took to soldier media to condemned plans by parliament to construct a new chamber.

The officer has been sentenced to 90 days imprisonment with hard labour at the guardroom.

Lance Corporal Lincoln Isaac Wassah of 2 Recce Squadron in Sunyani has also been stripped of his rank.

Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday, the country director for Amnesty International Robert Akoto Amoafo said a warning could have been enough punishment for the offense since it is not a regular occurrence within the security agencies in Ghana

“The extent to which this punishment has gone is too far. A warning could have be given but to punish the person to this extent puts fear in officers to express themselves. The fact that one joins security agency does not take their citizenship rights from them. A warning would have been the best”.

Lance Corporal Wassah was seen in a military uniform in the viral video supporting the social media campaign that eventually led to Parliament shelving plans to construct a new Chamber.

L/Cpl Wassah in the viral video warned President Akufo-Addo – the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces – not to support the construction of the new Parliamentary chamber expected to cost 200 million dollars.

According to him, there were more pressing issues that needed to be addressed instead of building a fanciful new Parliamentary Chamber.

Following the release of the video, L/Cpl Wassah was arrested by the Military High Command for interrogation.

#DropThatChamber Campaign

The “#DropThatChamber” campaign was initiated on social media with the aim of mounting pressure on Parliament to discontinue a proposal to build a new 450-seater chamber.

The House after sustained social media pressure dropped the plans to construct the new Chamber indefinitely.