Government has cautioned the public against dismissing the purported take over of the seat of government by some individuals.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah avers that the matter is very sensitive and requires the attention of all Ghanaians indicating that despite the delicate nature of the situation, government is doing its best to keep citizens abreast of the issue at hand.
Some security analysts and Ghanaians on social media have questioned the ability of the three individuals arrested to be able to carry out such a plot considering the alledged weapons they intended to use to undertake the act.
But Kojo Oppong Nkrumah admonished persons who have not had the opportunity of seeing the full evidence available to the security agencies to stop making conclusive statements but wait till such information are adduced in court.
“We are discussing the security of the state at this point in time, we have to be circumspect while we are trying to bring transparency to the matter, we also have to circumspect with how much information we can put in the public domain.”
“The important thing is that people or Ghanaians don’t just gloss over such items or just wish it away that this is not possible, this is not serious. It is a very serious matter and it is what we are able to put out today that we share.”
“May I also take advantage of this platform to discourage this thing where persons who have not even seen or appraised themselves of the evidence now literally want to adjudicate the matter whether on the radio or on tv or on their WhatsApp groups or on facebook. With the greatest of respect, the appropriate platform for adjudicating this matter will be the court. What we have done so far is to update on as much as we can say within the security constraints” he said on Joy FM.
About three days ago reported that the security agencies had arrested the Managing Director of Citadel Hospital located at Alajo, in Accra.
He, Dr Mac-Palm, was arrested together with one other person, a blacksmith, for operating a guns and explosives manufacturing base at the hospital.
A statement issued by the government on Monday and signed by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced that an attempted coup plot has been halted by Ghana’s security agencies after 15 months of monitoring the activities of the persons involved.
It emerged in the press release by the government that the Doctor of the Citadel Hospital and two others, had acquired ammunition and explosives, some of which were kept at the residence of the Dr Mac-Palm, meant to undertake the coup.
However, some analysts are of the view that the government should have held on until something substantial linking them to a plot or proving they have the capacity to perpetuate the act was found.
This position has been debunked by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who explained that “State security says one, they have evidence including audio-visual evidence of a conspiracy, a conspiratorial plot to use unlawful force to overthrow the government. Two, they have proceeded beyond that to begin acquiring instruments for the execution of that conspiracy. I notice that some persons make some comments like when I look at the instruments I don’t think they can do it. That is that person’s personal view. The question is, have they or have they not proceeded to acquire instruments for the execution of that conspiracy. The third thing is that have they or have they not gone ahead to begin testing some of these items.”
“The state security explained to us that the combination of these three, the conspiracy, the acquisition, and the testing gives them a reason to believe that these persons can execute their plot any moment from now. That is why it is important to neutralise it at this stage and that they have evidence buttressing all of these claims or positions they have come to” he detailed.
