Oliver Vormawor, a prominent Ghanaian activist and convener of the FixTheCountry movement, has made a startling allegation that the government offered him money and appointments to stop his activism.
According to Vormawor, he was approached by government officials who offered him a job in the public sector and a large sum of money to stop his activism and "go silent." Vormawor claimed that the officials told him that his activism was causing "trouble" for the government and that they wanted him to "cool down" and "stop causing problems."
Vormawor stated that he was offered a job in the Ministry of Information, with a salary of GH¢10,000 (approximately $1,800) per month, and that he was also offered a large sum of money as a "gift" to stop his activism. However, Vormawor refused the offers, stating that he could not be bought and that he would continue to speak out against government corruption and human rights abuses.
Vormawor's allegations have sparked widespread outrage and calls for an investigation into the matter. Many Ghanaians have taken to social media to express their support for Vormawor and to demand that the government investigate the allegations and take appropriate action.
This is not the first time that Vormawor has faced harassment and intimidation from the government. In 2020, he was arrested and detained for several days after he led a protest against government corruption and human rights abuses. Vormawor has also received death threats and has been subjected to online harassment and smear campaigns.
The allegations made by Vormawor highlight the growing trend of government repression and intimidation of activists and human rights defenders in Ghana. In recent years, there have been several instances of government officials and security agencies using tactics such as harassment, intimidation, and violence to silence dissenting voices and suppress political opposition.
The Ghanaian government has yet to respond to Vormawor's allegations, but the allegations have once again raised concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Ghana. The government's response to the allegations will be closely watched by human rights advocates and democracy activists, both in Ghana and around the world.