The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Jake Obetsebi Lamptey has stated that government�s decision to declare a security alert in all public buildings and offer bounty for suspected arsonists is hurting the image of the country.
He described the declaration as propaganda saying, �government�s propaganda of this nature hurts everybody. Because all they are succeeding is sending a message out to the rest of the world that Ghana is unstable.�
President John Mahama on Friday put up a GHC25, 000 bounty for the arrest of suspected arsonists responsible for burning of the various markets in the capital and further directed the state security agencies to declare a security alert at all important public buildings and installations across the country.
Responding to public reactions on the directive, a Deputy Information Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu alleged that persons who are challenging the legitimacy of President Mahama are likely to be responsible for such acts.
He said: �We do know for instance that there is political activity that is specifically at unseating President Mahama and making his administration almost impossible and therefore, one cannot rule out the fact that persons who are engaged in this sort of activities may be desirous of carrying out these�
We cannot pretend in this country. You have not heard leading political operatives suggest that violence should be carried out as a means of expressing some anger at President Mahama�there are people who have on public radio indicated that a bombing spree should be embarked upon as a way of expressing outrage at the conduct of the elections in 2012.�
The NPP Chairman in a sharp rebuttal to these allegations questioned why the government did not swiftly investigate these reports made by its political opponents.
According to him, the leadership and supporters of the NPP �have gone through such great lengths that instead of challenging the election results with violence; we went out and calmed everybody and that let�s challenge it in court so that we show that our country is a stable country, our country is a country which is pledged to the democratic way of life and that we are pledged to making sure that our democracy works; then you have Deputy Ministers of the government coming out and making incredible accusations of this nature.�
He described the government as being irresponsible for not taking steps to investigate and arrest the individuals who allegedly made such comments.
Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey advised the President not to allow his Deputy Ministers �to be going and undermining a whole stability of the nation.�
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