Using George Floyd meme for politics 'irresponsible, reckless, infantile politicisation' – Group to Sammy Gyamfi

A group calling itself the Coalition Against Racial Abuse (CARA), say it has taken notice of a “highly insensitive” publication by Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the biggest opposition party in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which makes mockery of the memory of the late George Perry Floyd, an African American who was “gruesomely killed” by a white American police officer in the USA on 25 May 2020.

Mr Gyamfi’s meme was a cartoon impression of a man in handcuffs lying face down with the knees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Electoral Commission Chair Jean Mensa on his neck, with the inscription: "I can't breathe", “virtually mimicking the same posture [with which] the late George Floyd was strangled to death”.

“We, in the Coalition Against Racial Abuse (CARA), do not intend to suppress free speech and freedom of expression as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. Suffice to say, it is incumbent on citizens, especially those in political authority, to exercise circumspection in their utterances and publications in order not to afflict pain on people's sensitivities”, the group said.

It noted that this is the time the world must see people of the black race in unison condemning the incessant abuse of black people across the globe. “We must let the world understand that it is no fault of any man’s to be black in complexion, for which reason they must be subjected to inhumane treatment by the white race and not be making fun of one's death”.

“We are by this press release calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians and people across the globe who are enraged by the late George Floyd's murder to condemn, in no certain terms, this highly insensitive, irresponsible, reckless and infantile politicisation by Sammy Gyamfi and his cohorts with all the force at their disposal”, the group said.

“Furthermore, this Coalition calls on the rank and file of the NDC to admonish Sammy Gyamfi to desist from such callous and amateurish behaviour in the future”.

Also, musician-turned-politician Kwame Asare Obeng (Kwame A Plus), has said the NDC must outsource its communications to bloggers or advertising companies.

His suggestion followed the sharing of the meme by Mr Gyamfi.

A Plus wrote: “The NDC must outsource their communications to an advertising company or bloggers like GhKwaku, Nkonkonsa and ZionFelix”.

“I'm sure they will do better”, he added.

According to him, “In 2016, they [NDC] scored an own-goal when they attempted to mock Nana with Kalyppo”.

“Not long ago”, he continued, “They told us to vote for them to come back to power because they have ‘learnt their lesson’. Don't mind them. It is not true. They have not leant whuuutey!!!”