The government of Ghana has for the first time commented on the
inflammatory comments of opposition lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong, saying
the “whole nation must rise up against it.”
The Assin North Member of Parliament has been charged with treason
felony, attempted genocide and terrorism over inciting comments he made
on his own radio station, Oman FM, last week. He is reported to have “declared war” – a move seen as usurping the powers of the president.
A former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, cautioned the
government to deal with the treason case carefully since the prosecution
is “using a sledge hammer to kill a fly.”
However, in a sharp and direct reply to Mr. Kufuor, Vice
President Mahama said: “There is no way advocacy for violence of
ethnicity should be something that we say ‘you are killing a fly with a
sledge hammer’.
“That fly must not arise at all and if I had my way you’ll not kill it
with a sledge hammer, but we’ll trample it with a bulldozer because
without Ghana’s unity and integrity, we’ll have no nation.”
Addressing members of the Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN)
of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti region,
he served notice that henceforth the government will not tolerate any
member of its administration engaging in politics of insult in its bid
to retain power during the December elections.
The Vice President condemned the infamous inciting comments of Hon.
Agyapong. He called on the entire citizenry to condemn
it.
Mr. Mahama said the Mills-led administration will punish all
and sundry who are bent on causing trouble ahead of the crucial
elections in December.
“If somebody comes and incites ethnic violence and say people should
take clubs and clamp down people of other ethnic groups, then it is not
something we should take lightly,” he said. “He [Agyapong]
was my colleague in Parliament and I don’t want to see him go to
prison.”
He added: “But the whole nation must rise up and say what you said was
absolutely unacceptable. It is the silence of those who
should speak for the truth that makes evil triumph over good.
“I wish on behalf of H.E the President [John Evans Atta Mills] to pledge
that we’re committed to a peaceful campaign devoid of insults and we
shall have a very successful election. The NDC is going to
win not because we want power, but because the people of Ghana trust
that our leadership is the best to move Ghana into the next level.”
By Kent Mensah/Citifmonline.com/Ghana
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