The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has filed a petition with the US Government through its Embassy in Ghana to invoke visa restrictions against Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
The Alliance wants the execution of this initiative pursuant to Section 212 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act.
ASEPA says the recent threat instigated by the MP against Multimedia Group journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, for his report on the Ejura protest is frowned upon by the US government as it has always taken an interest in the safety of journalists across the world by imposing sanctions on governments and individuals found culpable of such an act.
It noted that this is not the first of Mr Agyapong’s actions against journalists as he (Kennedy Agyapong) “in 2019, sitting on National TV issued threats against Tiger Eye journalist Ahmed Suale, inciting mob action against the journalist for the role he played in an investigative expose dubbed ‘Number 12’ which exposed the huge corruption that had bedeviled football administration in Ghana.”
“A few weeks later, the journalist was assassinated in cold blood, and till date, no one has been arrested,” he said.
ASEPA is, therefore, in its petition, dated July 15, requesting that “the US Government through the Department of State activates the Khashoggi ban against Mr Kennedy Agyapong to retrain him from entering the United States where he has a couple of business interests or any United States territory.”
In addition, ASEPA has prayed that the Khashoggi ban be extended to the Government of Ghana and all its officials until such a time when it resolves the murder of Ahmed Suale, arrest the culprits and prosecute them.
It further added that the “same sanctions should apply to the Parliament of Ghana and its officials if Parliament fails to remove Mr Agyapong as the Chairman of the Defense and Interior Committee of Parliament.
“We are counting on the international interest of the US Government in defending human rights and also in the promotion of the safety and well-being of journalists across the World to help protect Journalists in Ghana who are constantly falling victims to the recklessness and viciousness of Mr Agyapong.”
Read full statement below:
Source: Ghanaguardian.com