The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has broken his silence over the viral Agyapadie document, describing it as a complete fabrication.
According to the President, the document in circulation is a figment of the imagination of the opposition’s assigns, to cause disaffection for the government, a few months before the general elections.
President Akufo-Addo commented on the document on Thursday, August 1, 2024 at the Ghana Report summit on dealing with misinformation and disinformation in election 2024.
He recalled the falsehoods he suffered in 2008, with the “baseless allegations of drug trafficking and that of President Kufuor that he had “sold all of Ghana’s gold reserves.”
Further, he remembered the “false reports” in 2012 of his alleged arrest in London for drug possession, and in 2016 that he had killed his late wife.
“Today, with a few months to the December 2024 elections, they are at it again. A fabricated document, entitled Agyapadie, is being peddled around by operatives of the opposition as evidence of a grand scheme by my party to annex the assets of the state.
“These experiences underscore the importance of discerning truth from falsehood and the need for all of us to remain vigilant against the dangers of misinformation and disinformation. As we approach the 2024 general elections, we have to address these challenges head-on,” President Akufo-Addo said.
THE BOOK
The book, titled “Agyapadie” is a 38-page document with a picture of the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on the cover. Pictures of President Akufo-Addo and his father appear on the next page.
The Agyapadie book essentially purports to be a supposed plot for complete state capture by some powerful persons of Akyem heritage.
The sole aim of the plot, according to the book, is to position the Akyem kingdom as the most powerful kingdom in the country.
The document illustrates the supposed move by the Akyems to have total control, rendering the rest of the country acquiescent to the dictates of the so called “Akyem Mafia.”
With a plan to ensure that the country is governed at their beck and call, the said book makes some predictions in the country, including the collapse of indigenous Ghanaian banks and the conscious positioning of the Okyenhene and Okyeman, as the most powerful chieftaincy in the country.
OKYENHENE REACTS
The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has recently rubbished the contents of the document in circulation.
The Okyenhene, reacting to the said document, described it as a total fiction fabricated by those determined for years to create a hate campaign against the Ofori Panin household and Okyeman.
At the last Akyem Abuakwa State Council meeting, Okyenhene called on his kinsmen and Ghanaians to treat the book with the contempt it deserves.
CURB SPREAD
Opening the summit in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo emphasised the need to “take proactive measures to curb the spread of false information and ensure that the public has access to accurate and reliable information.”
He cited today’s digital age and said it was essential that media outlets adhere to the highest standards of journalistic integrity and accuracy.
“Journalists must be vigilant in verifying information before dissemination. Media houses must prioritise fact-checking and correcting false reports.
“Social media, while revolutionising communication, has also become platforms for misinformation and disinformation,” he said.
VIGILANCE
The Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, in his address said misinformation and disinformation have become tools for those seeking to conduct online campaigns and influence operations, owing to the age of social media and artificial intelligence.
Recognising geopolitical tensions in the world, he cautioned that “Ghana must be vigilant. It must be vigilant and prepared to defend a democracy against the onslaught of misinformation and disinformation, as well as other hybrid security threats.”
