NPP Has Not Bugged NDC Offices — Info Min.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has refuted claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), that the Akufo-Addo government had planted secret gadgets in its offices to spy on them.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday is response to NDC’s reactions to the leaked audio recording, which allegedly captured the NDC Chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Oppong Nkrumah said government had no interest in involving itself in any form of illegalities.

It would be recalled how the leadership of the NDC was ‘exposed’ by the sudden appearance of a recording of an alleged meeting of the party’s communicators.

On the tape, a voice believed to be that of Ofosu Ampofo is heard, among other things, resolving as part of the party’s strategy to regain power in 2020, to covertly target some individuals in the country, including the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Madam Jean Mensa, and the National Peace Council boss.

But in its defence, the NDC had fingered the ruling party to have tapped into their party offices, recorded their conversation and ‘tampered’ with the recordings.

NDC’s Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, said “The NDC is fully aware of evil and wicked plots by certain elements within National Security and government to spy on meetings of its officials, record and doctor such recordings for their spiteful ends.”

But the information minister, in a rebuttal, said the ruling government “as a matter of policy and practice does not bug the offices or homes of political parties and their leadership.”

He continued: “Indeed it is not the policy or practice of the government of Ghana to illegally interfere with the privacy or communication of persons or organisations in Ghana. To do so will be an infringement on the constitutional provision of privacy.”

Oppong Nkrumah described the accusation of the NDC as ‘distasteful’, adding that the actions of the NDC only bring the name of the state into disrepute.

“The practice of accusing the state and seeking to portray to the global community of the democratic watchers that the state is involved in some illegality, that practice is unpatriotic and has the potential to undermine the glowing respect that Ghana has for its resilient democracy and respect for the rule of law,” he said.

The minister added that plans are in place to provide protection for all persons mentioned in the tape while police begins investigations to ascertain the seriousness of the statements.