Ghana is a country known for freedom of speech. It is common practice to hear all sorts of insults, accusations and allegations against heads of state and people in authority all in the name of free speech. True, some people go way overboard with their submissions and mostly get away with it because, free speech.
But a time has come when a line must be drawn somewhere. People take advantage of their positions as “religious leaders” and make all sorts of preposterous allegations and “revelations” only to go scott free. Today, Deputy General Secretary of the opposition NDC is in the grips of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for suggesting that President Akufo-Addo’s government was going to be overthrown in a coup similar to Busia’s overthrow if care is not taken.
In an interview with Happy FM on Monday, Mr. Anyidoho stated that “On January 13, 1972, a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial President. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has an interesting way of repeating itself. There will be a civil revolt. There’ll be a people’s movement. During President John Mahama’s tenure didn’t we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana?”
“There’ll be a civilian coup d’etat. There’ll be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He will be fed up at the Presidency”. The Information Minister Mustapha Hamid thought his comments demanded an investigation by the security agencies. Koku Anyidoho insisted on Morning Starr with Francis Abban that his comments were justified and that there is nothing wrong with a civil coup.
In a dramatic turn of events, he (Koku Anyidoho) was picked up at the Press Centre in Accra earlier today, where he and other opposition leaders belonging to the Progressive Forces were holding a news conference ahead of their scheduled demonstration on Wednesday, March 28 to express their disapproval of the Ghana-US Military Base agreement. Granted, no government will be excited about news of a coup d’etat, but is that the worst thing that has been said?
How about Rev. Owusu Bempah boldly claiming a few weeks ago that he knew of a planned assassination by “enemies of the state” who were unhappy with the President appointing Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor? He claimed to know those so-called assassins and would reveal their names if they didn’t put a stop to their nefarious plans. Isn’t that a very good reason to haul the Prophet in for thorough questioning?
An assassination is a murder, much worse than an overthrow if truth be told. Why hasn’t Owusu Bempah been called by the security agencies for questioning? Is it because he is a “friend” of the ruling NPP? Are we picking and choosing what to be alarmed about based on political bias? Politicians are no different from so-called Prophets. Certainly, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Therefore, if Koku Anyidoho’s comments deserve an arrest by the CID, so does Rev. Owusu Bempah’s “prophecy”.