National Security did not clone phone of #FixtheCountry convenor - Information Ministry
The Ministry of Information has rebutted allegations that the Ministry of National Security cloned the phone of one of the convenors of the viral #FixtheCountry protest movement.
A statement signed by the Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the phone cloning allegation is "false and baseless".
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The statement issued today is in reaction to a claim by Mr Oliver Barker-Vormanor, convenor of the #FixtheCountry campaign who in an appearance of Joy FM's Newsfile show on May 8, 2021, alleged that National Security operatives unlawfully cloned one of the android phone of one of the convenors and accessed conversations.
Following "unlawful surveillance" and "phone cloning" allegations by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Lawyer and Conveyor of #FixTheCountry#FixMotherGhana @gyaigyimii #WeAreAngry #fixitnowpic.twitter.com/dNClAUkIMm
— Maiestas Ⓜ️ (Danny Bediako) (@Ebenezer_Peegah) May 9, 2021
"Consistent with standard practices, the phones of all visitors are kept at the reception of the Ministry. The Ministry has no basis to and did not tamper with the phones of the convenors," the statement said.
The statement also denies the allegation that the convenors were coerced into a meeting with Cabinet.
"The conveners were invited for a meeting to which they voluntarily attended. The allegation that they were coerced into a meeting is therefore untrue.
"Additionally, in instances where the Agencies of the Ministry have need to investigate the electronic devices of a person, legal methods such as a proper court warrant are employed. The phone cloning allegation is also therefore false and baseless.
"The public is therefore advised to disregard the said allegation".
What is #fixthecountry?
The #fixthecountry hashtag was started by popular Ghanaian Twitter influencer, KalyJay (whose real name is Joshua Boye-Doe) in reaction to push the concerns of citizens and demand accountability from the government.
Some celebrities and political activists later joined the campaign and the hashtag and its variants including #fixthecountrynow, #nameandshame, #fixitnow, #fixmotherghana have been at the top of the Twitter trends for over a week.
The tweets have expressed displeasure over successive government’s failure to improve the living standards of Ghanaians. Among the concerns include dumsor, unemployment, galamsey, and poor healthcare systems which they cite as proof of successive governments’ mismanagement of the country.
The conveners intended to gather supporters for a demonstration at the Black Star Square in Accra on May 9, 2021 but had to alter their plans after the Ghana Police Service secured an injunction against it.
The conveners are at the Supreme Court challenging the injunction with the hearing scheduled for June 8, 2021.
