#FixTheCountry Movement convener goes missing
Oliver Barker-Vormawor disappeared after returning to the country
The group says no state security agency can account for him
Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a Constitutional lawyer, has over the past year been the face of the #FixTheCountry Movement, which is demanding among others accountability and good governance from the political class.
He has used his social media handle, appearances on radio
Read full article.and TV and an active on-ground activism to push the agenda of the group, a key plank of which is a change of the current Constitution.
Barker-Vormawor was until early Saturday, February 12, declared missing having returned to the country yesterday, February 11, 2022, via the Kotoka International Airport, KIA.
Police confirm arrest
The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of #FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, adding that he will be arraigned before the court on Monday, February 14, 2022.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, DCOP Kwesi Ofori, the police said the activist was arrested based on a social media post he made stating that he will stage a coup himself if the controversial E-Levy is passed.
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According to the police, the pronouncement by Mr. Barker-Vormawor has intentions of overthrowing the Constitution of the Republic thus warranting his arrest.
“Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on a social media platform to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-levy Bill is passed by Parliament.
"The post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana. He will be arraigned before court on Monday February, 14, 2022,” parts of the statement read.
The statement further urged citizens to desist from making pronouncements that tend to disturb public peace.
“We continue to call on the good people of Ghana to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country as any such acts contravene the laws of the country,” the statement concluded.
What the Movement has said so far:
The Movement he is a convener of, has described the situation in different ways, an 'abduction,' an 'arrest' and a 'disappearance.'
According to the group, the incident happened when Mr. Barker-Vormawor arrived in the country at 4pm GMT on Friday, February 11, 2022. The group says it has since not heard or seen their convener.
“One of #FixTheCountry Convenors @barkervogues arrived in Ghana today at 4pm GMT and has been abducted by the state security apparatus. We have since not seen or heard from him. We demand that he is RELEASED immediately,” the group tweeted.
Member of group speaks to TV3
A member of the Movement, Felicity Naana Nelson, confirmed to 3news.com that Oliver was picked up after arriving at the KIA.
“Oliver has been arrested at the KIA,” she told 3news.com in a telephone conversation. She had earlier posted about the incident on Facebook.
“Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor arrived in Kotoka International Airport at 4pm today and he was whisked away by state officials. Oliver has been missing for the last 6 hours,” her post read in part.
Statement on 'disappearance'
A statement on the Movement's letterhead posted on social media also gave details of among others, Oliver's flight details and what he was back in town to do.
“We wish to announce the disappearance of one of our conveners – Mr Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor.
“Mr Barker-Vormawor left the United Kingdom this morning Friday, 11th February 2022 for Accra, Ghana, where he is scheduled to have a series of meetings with the diplomatic community.
“He arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) at 4:59 pm on TAP Air Portuagal flight TP 1527.
“The last time his family and lawyers heard from him was at 5:29 pm at which point he informed them that some unidentified armed men had accosted him on his way into the arrival hall at KIA.
“All attempts by Mr Barker-Vormawor’s family and lawyers to find him since that time have been unsuccessful. The KIA Security, the KIA Immigration Office, the Airport Police Station, the National Bureau of Investigations Headquarters, and the National Security Head Office (Blue Gate) do not have any information on him.”
The coup post
Although it is unclear what may have triggered his arrest, reports indicate that it may be linked to Barker-Vormawor’s recent social media post that he will stage a coup if Parliament passes the controversial E-levy.
He described the army as useless, whilst commenting on the viral photos and videos of an E-Levy cake presented to the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, during his 65th birthday.
In a post on his Facebook timeline, the activist wrote: “If this E-Levy passes after this Cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!”
Mr. Barker-Vormawor’s coup post comes at a time when the West African sub-region is experiencing an increasing rate of coup d’états – the latest being in Burkina Faso.
Barker-Vormawor's doom prediction post of February 10 and calls for his arrest
On February 10, a day after his coup post, Oliver wrote a lengthy post about people warning him over the possible consequences he could face. He said he was undaunted and was ready for the worse.
At that time, pro-government persons including a presidential staffer had started a hashtag calling for the Police to pick him and question him over his post.
The post is produced below:
Neho!
Whenever I use the Ghana Flag, know that I am coming to say something important!
Over the past 48 hours I have had several friends reach out to say “Becareful oo. This Government is vindictive.”
Today, I have received calls from certain people who found themselves in circles of party and government officials promising that at the first opportunity they will arrest me. That they will deal with me in such a way that; when I leave Ghana, I will never talk of Ghana ever again.
Now let me say this. As clear as i can be. If any single person thinks I do not know that the modus operandi of an illegitimate democracy is to arrest and torture activists, you must not have understood anything I have said or written so far.
Our sense of urgency isn’t based on naïveté. We know what and who we are dealing with. We know who; and what we are dealing with, when we ask for more for ourselves and our families.
So Ofcourse I know that I will eventually be arrested and likely tortured. Possibly, I may be killed. Caleb Kudah a well known journalist, was slapped into oblivion; Ahmed Suale was killed. What more evidence do you need that if you ruffle feathers of thieves and criminals, they will come for you.
So I say this as sincerely as I can be. And with all the honesty I can muster. I do not give a rats ass, what this Government does. In starting to speak up, I started to shed the fear of death, every passing day!
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard. It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come."
Now, if my movements are of any interest to you, for your arrest, then know this, On the 16th of this Month, I will be in Ghana. I will attending the Invitation of the Ambassador of Denmark to speak on a panel at the Danish Embassy.
Then the next day on the 17th, I will be giving a speech to the Deputy Ambassadors of all the European Embassies in Ghana. I will speak on State violence and the Deterioration of the Rule of Law in Ghana.
I will break the culture of silence again!
Arrest me when I come! Ideas never die! The quest for freedom is eternal. We have sown an idea and it will grow as ideas do.
Now, to those whose sense of justice and fairness has been awakened by my voice. Hear this. If I am ever arrested by the regime security or their affiliates, I beg this of you. Do not trend any hashtags, calling for them to release me. To do that will be legitimizing their violence and their false justice system.
Do not demand that I be released. I promise that I will not even demand that a writ of Habeas Corpus be filed for me.
Do something else instead.
Call for the end of the False Republic. Call for the end of a political system that has impoverished and made your lives meaningless.
Call for the end of the Old Ghana. Because for the New Ghana to be built. The old one must first give way!
