NPP: ‘War-mongering’ Mahama preparing grounds to reject defeat

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the recent utterances by the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, is inciting the public against the country’s security forces.

This, according to the governing party, is the former President’s tactics to incite war in the country, and reject the results of the December 7 elections.

The party has, therefore, condemned the NDC leader for his ‘despicable’ conduct.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the MP for Mpraeso and Chairman of Parliament’s select committee on Defence, Seth Kwame Acheampong, said it is “shocking for a former Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces to tell dangerous lies about the security of the nation.”

“We strongly condemn these despicable remarks by candidate Mahama and the recent attempts by the NDC to politicize our security forces. His statements are totally false and unfounded and he ought to be ashamed of himself,” he stated. .

Imminent defeat

According to the NPP, Mr Mahama has seen the signs on the wall that he will lose massively and is therefore using intimidating tactics to prevent Ghanaians from going out to vote.

“John Mahama has been using his campaign rallies not so much to rally support for his message, as he has no message. Increasingly, he is sounding more and more as a candidate who has already accepted defeat. He has been on the ground and he knows very well that he is not on the ground.

“His message for change is not trusted by the public. His negative campaign against Akufo-Addo and the NPP is not getting him anywhere and it is because the people know better; they feel better and they know the difference between Nana and Mahama,” the Mpraeso MP said.

He further noted that John Mahama has spent his campaign time to vilify the Electoral Commissioner, even though 68 per cent of Ghanaians, including NDC supporters, are happy with the work Jean Mensa and the EC are doing.

Grounds for rejection

Mr Acheampong further noted that Mr Mahama, sensing the imminent defeat, is preparing the grounds to reject the results of the polls.

“John Mahama’s dirty campaign against Akufo-Addo is not working because 70 per cent of Ghanaians, including NDC supporters, approve of the work that Nana Akufo-Addo is doing as President. The truth is hurting Candidate Mahama.

“So, it seems the only thing left for Candidate Mahama to do is to prepare the ground for a rejection of the December 7, 2020 general election results,” he said.

Coordinated attempts

He noted that Mr Mahama’s remarks are not in isolation as they fit into a deliberate, co-ordinated and orchestrated design by the NDC to undermine security in the country and create an atmosphere of fear and panic.

Listing some occurrences such as the Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah’s tapes, the recent alleged planned attack on the life of MP for Agona West, Cynthia Morrison, the recent gun incident involving NDC National Vice-Chairman Alhaji Said Sinare, as well as the Odododiodoo disturbances, Mr Acheampong said the NDC has plans to carry out their threats.

Security achievements

Meanwhile, the NPP has assured the country that the security forces are ready to curtail any such attempts by the NDC, touting the government’s achievements in the security sector.

“Since 2017, we have made significant resources available towards improving public safety and security, enhancing the logistical and operating capabilities of the security services, investing in the overall conditions of service of the men and women responsible for public safety and national security,” Mr Acheampong said.

He added the government has provided patrol boats to police foreign fishing vessels, to protect offshore oil and gas installations and to enhance security along Ghana’s territorial waters.

He also said the narcotics control regime has been updated, with the upgrade of the Narcotics Control Board to a commission with more powers to counter drug trafficking.

In addition, the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act has been passed to, among other things, enhance security at the district level while a Vigilantism Law has been passed to check political violence.

Other steps to strengthen the country’s security include establishing a world-class National Cyber-Security Centre, which has collaborated effectively with the law enforcement agencies to combat the menace of cybercrime, including fraud, sextortion, non-consensual sharing of intimate images and child online abuse in real time.