The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), a civil society group has petitioned the United States of America government through its embassy in Ghana to impose visa restrictions on Assin Central lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong for threatening the life of a journalist.
In a report by classfmonline, ASEPA is also asking the US government to extend the ban to all officials of the current government including the president until the government resolves the murder of Ahmed Suale, arrests and prosecute the culprits.
ASEPA is also asking for the ‘Khashoggi ban’ instituted by the US government after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, to be extended to the parliament of Ghana and its officials if they fail to remove Mr Agyapong as the Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of the house.
Mr Agyapong has been referred to the privileges committee of Parliament after he threatened the life of Multimedia Journalist Erastus Asare Donkor.
According to a statement by the Multimedia group, Mr Agyapong on his Net 2 TV programme ‘The Attitude’ on 9 July 2021 stated that “we should beat the hell out of Erastus Asare Donkor” and also threatened that if he (Honourable Agyapong) “were the president of Ghana, he would have ensured that Erastus Asare Donkor is beaten mercilessly”.
The statement further said the MP made the threats “because of the journalistic work that Mr Asare undertook during the recent shootings and killing incident at Ejura, and his appearance before the Kingsley Koomson Committee investigating the incident.
Speaking on the matter on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, 14 July 2021, Speaker Bagbin said: “This is my first time of hearing this matter and as it is now I am compelled to refer it to the privileges committee. it’s a matter the privileges committee would have to go into and then report to the house and it’s for the house to decide whether the honorable member is contentious of the house”.
GhanaFeed.com
