The police have picked up social media activist and convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, for allegedly stating that he would stage a coup in Ghana if Parliament passes the E-Levy bill.
In a statement, the police said on Saturday (12 February) that Barker-Vormawor is being kept at the Tema regional command for further investigations into his social media post.
In a series of Facebook posts ahead of Thursday’s demonstration against the bill, Barker-Vormawor described the Ghana Army as “useless” for not acting despite the public uproar against the bill aimed at raking in about GHC7 billion annually into the national coffers.
“If this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!” Barker-Vormawor said in one of the posts.
In another post he said: “Okay, let’s try again. If this E-Levy still passes after this cake bullshit, then may God….Help us to resist oppressor’s rule, With all our will and might for evermore. (2x)
Useless Army. Anaa, the value is the same?”
Declaration of intent
“The post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the police statement added.
He is expected to be put before court on Monday (14 February).
Below is the full statement:
Reactions
“This is below the belt Oliver Barker-Vormawor. Where is Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Army. Arrest him,” Angela Dodoo Tweeted.
“Oliver Barker-Vormawor of #FixTheCountry movement must not be treated with kids’ gloves. Not this time. He must be arrested,” Kojo Mensah said on Facebook.
“No. No. No. Way too low. The law must work. Let’s deal with this lawless guy called Oliver. He thinks we’re retrogressive like him? Who wants coup again. Tweaaa,” Nabil Mohammed also said.
Demonstration against E-Levy
Meanwhile, hundreds of Ghanaians on Thursday (10 February) hit the streets to demonstrate against the introduction of the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) currently before Parliament.
The demonstration which is dubbed “Yentua demo” (We won’t pay) is being organised by the Coalition of Concerned Ghanaians with representatives from mainly the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other civil society groups.
The demonstrators who are clad mostly in red are wielding placards with various inscriptions such as “Bawumia’s silence on E-Levy very alarming”, “He used to be an economic talkative”, “Pay UTAG, students are suffering”, “We will not accept the E-Levy in any shape” among others.
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