DISRUPTION OF MOBILE NETWORKS DURING VOTING DAY IN GHANA BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATION AUTHORITY (NCA)? ADVOCATE FOR RIGHT TO INFORMATION WANTS TO KNOW.
Credible and confirmed intelligence information had long whispered into our ears – we the members of ADVOCATES FOR RIGHT TO INFORMATION that both mobile networks and internet services will be jammed and disrupted during the voting on Friday December 7, 2012 through to Sunday December 9, 2012.
Our sources further informed us that even though this was going to be deliberately effected; it will quickly be blamed on the occasional general network disruptions which patrons go through.
We were also told that since the exercise can not be done selectively the Diplomatic Missions in Ghana and in particular the Media both local and international Journalists who are supposed to relay accurate information about the elections to Ghanaians and the World will also be badly affected.
This information was initially not given much consideration of thought until a few days ago when a warning was issued by the Chairman of the National Communications Authority, Mr. Kofi Totobi Kwakye to the telecommunication firms in Ghana.
In his statement he cautioned them to be wary and not to allow their networks to be used by either individuals or group of persons to bundle false information around regarding the election results which could cause fear and panic.
Logically, how possible could it be for any of the telephone Companies in Ghana check, regulate and control information which millions of Ghanaians will send through their phones within these few days of the elections?
We of the ADVOCATES FOR RIGHT TO INFORMATION view this statement by the NCA Chairman as a threat to suppress the fundamental rights and freedoms of Ghanaians guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution. Why do we say so? Even during the era of Jerry John Rawlings where the regime was seen spotted with dictatorial crop marks – none of such ‘jungle’ orders were given to the mobile Telephone Companies in Ghana.
In advancing our cause of argument, we would like state that since 1992 elections all and sundry have through their mobile phones actively and fully participated in the electoral process. So we ask; What has now changed?
We want to assure Mr. Totobi Kwakye that by the statement he has put out there, he has rather put out there fear and panic in the minds of many Ghanaians and not as his assumptions are.
The NCA Chairman’s conduct in this matter is only tantamount to asking the telephone companies to:
(a)Breach their contracts with their subscribers.
(b)Breach the trust their subscribers have with them in respect to the integrity of their telephone conversations and messaging.
(c)An open invitation to invade the privacy of subscribers. This is because the Mobile Network operators can only comply with the NCA Chairman’s directives by either tapping into the clients’ phone calls and monitoring them or to read text messages that are sent across.
This action in itself aims at shooting at nothing than a deliberate attempt to gagging Ghanaians particularly the Media from exercising their right to free expression and the right to be informed about what is going on in their country.
We wish to whether it was not the same Mr. Totobi Kwaakye who broadcast to the entire World during the NDC government led by J.J Rawlings that a coup plot had been uncovered and that the information was picked on the internet? And if there was censorship then would he have been able to track that supposed vital information?
What has even broken our bones further is that Mr. Totobi Kwaakye who now doubles as a Presidential staffer was for several years a national security advisor in NDC 1 & 2 regimes. We are therefore at a loss as to how someone of his stature would issue such a lame warning if this is not supposed to lay the grounds for using other sophiscated equipment to privately disrupt all incoming and outgoing calls during the elections.
We accordingly call upon the NCA boss to immediately withdraw his warning and rather assure Ghanaians that their networks including mobile phones, internet and radio frequencies would not be disrupted during the elections.
In conclusion, we say that if the disruption becomes overtly manifest then it goes to confirm nothing but one of the alleged rigging schemes of the impending elections planned by the NDC government.
We also see the NCA Chairman’s directive as a threat that has the potential to erode investor confidence in the Country.
Ghanaians are watching! All the Diplomatic Missions in Ghana are watching!! The whole World is watching!!!
God bless our home land Ghana
And make our nation great and strong
Bold to defend forever
The cause of freedom and of right
…………………………………………….
ADVOCATE FOR RIGHT TO INFORMATION
Convener: Kumi Ofei- Buadu
Email danoap@yahoo.com
Mobile 0233569955
