National Security Minister Dares Fix The Country Convener

…To Release $1million Attempted Bribe Audio Recording

The Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has challenged Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, the convener of the pressure groups, #Democracyhub and Fix The Country, to make public the purported audio recording in his possession which proves that he, Kan-Dapaah, had wanted to offer him, Oliver, a bribe to ostensibly silence his activism against the government.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah, in a press release issued on his behalf by the ministry, said there is no truth in the claim by the firebrand youth activist that, at a point in his activism, he, the minister, offered to pay him a staggering $1million and a job of his choice.

“The allegations made by Oliver Barker-Vormawor are thus false, unfounded and a calculated attempt to hoodwink Ghanaians. This Ministry, therefore, challenges him to produce the alleged recording of the said inducement. Meanwhile, the general public is urged to ignore the allegations and treat them with the utmost contempt they deserve,” he stated.

According to the release, dated Friday September 22, the ministry had taken notice of allegations made, in a viral post, by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, Convenor of the Fix the Country Movement, regarding a purported offer of $1, 000, 000.00 made to him by the Minister for National Security to compel him to cease his “activism.”

It added, “While the ministry acknowledged that the Minister for National Security, Finance Minister, and other relevant stakeholders in 2021, engaged the convenors of the Fix the Country movement to listen to their concerns, it must be stated that no offer of money or appointment was made to persuade the group to end its “activism”.”

Challenge Accepted

But Mr.Vormawor, who said the meeting indeed happened at a “secret safe house,” has accepted the challenge.

In an interview on Joyfm news analysis programme,‘Newsfile,’last Saturday, Mr.Vormawor maintained his stance and pledged to release the audio soon.

The outspoken lawyer, in his social media post, asked media houses that can authenticate the voice of the minister to come forward for the tape and publish it for the hearing of the public.

“Is there a media house willing to authenticate Kan-Dapaah’s voice? And commit to release an audio fully into the public domain?” he wrote on his social media handles, including X and Facebook.

This was immediately after the Harvard-trained lawyer was released, together with some 48 other protesters of the #occypyjubilorhouse, from police cells for what the police say is an unlawful assembly.

He told the host of ‘Newsfile,’Samson Lardi Anyenini, he has been able to get some journalists, including Samson himself, whom he would release the alleged audio recording to.

Though Mr.Vormawor vowed to release the doubtful audio this week, he failed to mention the exact day or date the tape would be out.

No Video

“Now I want to be clear, nowhere have I said that there was a video of interaction between myself and the Minister for National Security. The Ministry of National Security has issued a statement claiming that I met with other Fix the country convenors and other stakeholders.

“I want to put it on record that the meeting I am talking about happened exclusively between myself and the Minister for National Security that the offer was made to me. I will release an audio into the public domain which will confirm that the Minister invited me to a secret safe house location that we should have an individual meeting. He made that offer to myself no other fix the country convenors was involved in,” he said.

He continued, “Another secret meeting was held with myself and two lawyers representing the fix the country, including the Minister of Finance, which was held, we have a recording of the entirety of that meeting as well.”

“But what I am saying and I want to be clear on is that, the secret meeting was held between myself and the Minster of National Security at a safe house and that he requested that I meet him and I have a recording to confirm this and it was at that meeting he made the offer for the million dollars to drop the activism. I want to be clear, this was before the very first fix the country demonstration not for #occupyjulorbihouse. I think there is a bit of confusion in the public as well,” he explained.

Reasons for the Offer

According to him, the minister informed him that he was worried about terrorism and that his activism could inspire people that may end up doing something untoward.

He told the programme, “At the very beginning, he, the National Security Minister, had told me personally that they were worried about terrorism, and that they were worried that my activism will mobilize young people that will jeopardize national security. And so in order for me to walk away, he was offering and he said on behalf of government he was prepared to offer me a million dollars and if there was appointment that I desire, they can arrange something to that effect.”

Number of meetings

Giving insight to events leading to the allegation, Mr.Vormawor said three meetings were held as far back as 2021, when the movement started, and they wanted to embark on massive demonstration. The first meeting, according to him, was held between various cabinet ministers and other convenors, which he did not attend.

At that meeting, he said his colleagues were offered to drop their demands to demonstrate and that the government was going to set up a committee that they will be part of, in order to investigate their grievances. They however objected to the offer, he stated.

After that, another meeting was held between him, Oliver, and Minister of National Security alone, where the offer of the one million dollars was made. The third and last meeting was between him, the ministers for national security and finance, two other lawyers of the group and a Major General of the Ghana Armed Forces.

“The audio I am saying will come out. And again, I am clear that so far, the minister has admitted to have had private meetings with me and I am saying that the audio confirms this happened. Yes, we are still in the process of demonstration. I don’t want it to disrupt the attention of the demonstration, which is happening today. But I will assure that early next week the audio will go out. We have already confirmed with journalists, yourself included, you are going to see a copy of the audio,” he reiterated.

More To Come…