Ken Agyapong's Ghana Gas appointment proves Akufo-Addo supports his vicious attacks on journalists

The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) says the Akufo-Addo led government has proven it supports Kennedy Agyapong’s attack on journalists for appointing him to chair the board of Ghana Gas.

The Assin Central Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) has been formally sworn in to serve as the board chairman of Ghana Gas by Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Shocked by the appointment at a time the MP is facing the privileges committee of Parliament for threatening a Journalist with Multimedia, ASEPA says it is now clear the Akufo-Addo led government is in support of his actions.

“If there ever was any doubt that President Akufo-Addo and his government was never in support of Kennedy Agyapong's vicious attacks on Journalists in the Country, certainly that doubt has been removed.

“This appointment is an emphatic statement to the International Community and Democracy Watchers that the President and his government are fully behind Mr. Agyapong,” a statement from ASEPA boss Mensah Thompson has said.

According to him, he foresees Ghana's Press Freedom indices taking a massive nosedive in the next rankings due to the appointment of Kennedy Agyapong as Ghana Gas board chair.

Below is the full statement:

Mensah Thompson of ASEPA writes...

KEN AGYAPONG'S APPOINTMENT AS BOARD CHAIRMAN OF GHANA GAS IN THE SPATE OF HIS RECENT ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS WOULD AFFECT GHANA'S PRESS FREEDOM RANKING

If there ever was any doubt that President Akuffo-Addo and his government was never in support of Kennedy Agyapong's vicious attacks on Journalists in the Country, certainly that doubt has been removed.

This appointment is an emphatic statement to the International Community and Democracy Watchers that the President and his government are fully behind Mr. Agyapong.

The highest level of solidarity that can be shown to anyone.

The appointment of Mr. Agyapong as Board Chairman of Ghana Gas at a time when he is facing the Previleges Committee of Parliament for threatening a Journalist is a massive endorsement of his actions not only by the President but also his Political Party, the NPP.

The optics are certainly not good, we expect that the Ghana Journalists Association, the GJA would come out boldly and condemn this appointment.

For what is worth, I foresee Ghana's Press Freedom Indeces taking a massive nose dive in the next rankings.

This is certainly not good.

Mensah Thompson

Executive Director,ASEPA