A Deputy Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Owusu-Bempah, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of lacking campaign messages going into the 2024 general elections hence resorting to lies against the NPP government.
He accused the NDC of hiding behind the Agyapadie document to perpetuate falsehood against the Akufo-Addo government.
In a statement titled “The Agyapadie nonsense and NDC’s Big political Lie” Owusu-Bempah said “It was Hitler’s Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels who said that “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” According to the Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, though the lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.
This is an excellent definition of the “Big lie,” and flowing from this is the mercenary politicking of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC). As Ghana prepares for the 2024 elections, a chorus of leading politicians of the NDC have devised a new strategy to repeatedly shove their big lie down the throat of the average Ghanaian, in the hope that it could reverse their political fortunes which is irredeemably in comatose. That pushback sits at the heart of the fictional publication codenamed ‘Agyapadie’ making the rounds. The 38-page document, which lacks an identified author, prominently features the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin on the cover, with President Nana Akufo-Addo and his late father on the subsequent page. The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has dismissed the document as pure fiction fabricated by those who have long sought to incite hatred against the Ofori Panin household and Okyeman.
“But the NDC won’t stop. Even more insidious is how the NDC flagbearer, John Mahama has waded into the matter making categorical statements regarding the Agyapadie document. Mahama’s words and actions indicate that he has no regards for our democratic norms. Such a highly dishonorable, dangerous man, and the NDC looks more like a personality cult than a political party. And as the path toward this anti-democratic attitudes and behavior gains steam, we are told some key players of the NDC are actually behind the Agyapadie fictional document. At this stage, the question that remains to be answered is if indeed the likes of Omane Boamah, Okudzeto Ablakwa, Abraham Amaliba and Edudzi Tamakloe are the authors of the Agyapadie document?
“The NDC leaders and supporters are at perhaps their lowest point politically. They have reached a crisis point as the party is now led by donkeys. A party of sycophants and low-grade activists. The NDC came to no longer care all that much about programs and policies.
It’s little over three months to elections but the NDC is still going through the motions. No campaign message. No policy proposals. Added to this is the acquiescence of NDC leaders to this thoroughly dangerous brand of politics. Obviously, Mahama and the NDC have done more than enough to their own political obituary.”
His statement comes after the Flagbearer of the NDC Former President John Dramani Mahama told President Akufo-Addo that although the Agyapadie document is said to have been fabricated, the implementation of the content is not fabricated.
Mr Mahama had said the author of the said fabricated document must be a creative writer to know the mind of the President.
“We need to hold this government accountable, for the hardship and the crisis that they have subjected Ghana to, for the state capture that they have implemented in Ghana over the past 8 years, buying every state property, buying all the government lands, and amassing wealth for themselves.
“Recently, there was an issue about a document called Agyapadie, they said it is fabricated but even if it is fabricated, the implementation is not fabricated. Because everything that is written in that document has been implemented. So if really, somebody sat and fabricated that document then the person can really read the minds of people, because how they could have written that document and the mind of Nana Akufo-Addo and his family that this is what they were going to do, then that person is a proper creative writer,” he said.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had described the recent Agyapadie document as a baseless document and a clear attempt to mislead and create distrust.
The document which details a strategy aimed at positioning and maintaining Akyem people at commanding height in all spheres of Ghana’s economy has gone viral in recent months on both traditional and social media spaces.
The Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin described it as a total fiction fabricated by those determined for years to create and fan a hate campaign against the Ofori Panin household and Okyeman.
At a recent Akyem Abuakwa State Council meeting, he said “We saw this during the period of J.B Danquah and we’re seeing this now. In and around October 2016, about a few months before the election, the same document known as the ‘Akyem Project’ was in circulation. The focus of that was to fan hatred between Okyeman and Asanteman to undermine the electoral efforts of Nana Akufo-Addo. Unfortunately for them, it came too late to the election.”
“This diabolic plan was revised in 2019. In the year 2020 when the Agyapa business became a political issue, the book suddenly metamorphosed into ‘Agyapadie’” Okyenhene noted in a State Council meeting at Kyebi”.
Addressing the Ghana Report Summit on “Dealing with Misinformation and Disinformation – Election 2024” on Thursday, 1st August 2024, President Akufo-Addo said “the recent fabrication, “Agyapadie,” falsely claims a grand scheme by my party to annex state assets. This baseless document is a clear attempt to mislead and create distrust. We must remain vigilant and discerning, verifying information before accepting it as truth.”
He further raised issues against misinformation and disinformation.
He said “Our nation stands as a beacon of democracy, with eight successful general elections and peaceful transitions of power. However, as we approach the 2024 General Elections, we must confront the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, which can undermine our democratic gains and distort public perception.”
He added “As part of our commitment to safeguarding our democracy, I am pleased to announce that the government is implementing a National Action Plan to combat misinformation and disinformation.
“This comprehensive plan outlines strategic steps to address the spread of false information, defend our democratic processes, and promote an informed and engaged citizenry. By enhancing our legal and regulatory frameworks, collaborating with technology companies, and launching public awareness campaigns, we are taking a proactive stance to protect the integrity of our elections and ensure that misinformation does not undermine our hard-won democratic gains.”
As President of the Republic, he assured that the upcoming elections will be conducted peacefully, transparently and credibly.
“The security agencies are tasked with maintaining law and order, while public awareness campaigns will empower voters to make informed decisions.
“Together, let us protect our democracy from falsehoods, and uphold the values that make Ghana a model for the world.”
