Minister of State for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu says the government can tolerate criticism and insults directed at President John Mahama, but will not ignore statements it considers capable of inciting violence or breaching public order.

His comments come amid controversy over the arrest and remand of senior nursing officer Salomey Awiti Baffoe in connection with the alleged publication and circulation of false news through the “Ghana Jollof” TikTok account.

Ms Baffoe, 40, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetment of crime, to wit, publication of false news, under Sections 20(1) and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The prosecution alleges that she acted as a liaison for Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, popularly known as “Ghana Jollof”, and helped disseminate videos produced by her by recruiting others to redistribute the content.

Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Friday, September 18, Mr Kwakye Ofosu was asked whether sharing such content was sufficient grounds for Ms Baffoe’s arrest and subsequent two-week remand.

He said helping to disseminate what he described as incendiary content could constitute an offence.

“Yes, if you help to spread incendiary content, it is an offence,” he said.

“If somebody says, ‘I will overthrow the government’, then you help disseminate that. The law enforcement can pick you up. There is nothing wrong with what they have done.”

He stressed, however, that the court would ultimately determine whether Ms Baffoe was guilty.

“In any event, a court will determine whether the person is guilty or not,” he said.

‘We do not fear criticism’

Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the government’s concern was not with vulgar language or personal attacks but with statements that could incite violence or threaten public order.

“But we are not concerned about vulgar language as a government, even if it is morally wrong. What we are concerned about is the use of incendiary language with a view to incite people and breach their peace,” he said.

“There is no sane jurisdiction in this world where that is permitted.”

He rejected suggestions that Ms Baffoe’s arrest was motivated by criticism or insults directed at the President.

“Nobody has been arrested for insulting the President,” he said.

He said the government was capable of taking criticism and had no interest in suppressing people simply because they expressed negative views about the President or his administration.

“That President Mahama or his government is not concerned about criticism. We do not fear criticism,” he said.

“All of us are hard-nosed politicians who have been in this game for decades. So we understand fully that people will always have their say. It is not everything they say that will be pleasant, but we can live with it.”

Minister cites alleged link to Ghana Jollof account

Mr Kwakye Ofosu said there was a distinction between insulting or criticising the President and making statements that could threaten public order.

“There’s a difference between insulting the President or saying unpleasant things about the President or criticising the government and saying things that have the potential to breach the peace,” he said.

He said law enforcement agencies had a responsibility to investigate statements that could amount to threats or incitement, regardless of which government was in power.

“When you do that, law enforcement anywhere in the world will take you on and take you through due process,” he said.

Read also: Senior nursing officer remanded for 2 weeks over alleged links to ‘Ghana Jollof’ TikTok Account

The Minister also rejected suggestions that Ms Baffoe was an innocent nurse who had simply been caught up in the controversy surrounding the Ghana Jollof account.

He said investigations had established, according to information available to the government, a connection between Ms Baffoe and the account.

“The nurse in question is believed to be a promoter of Ghana Jollof's conduct,” he said.

“Indeed, the investigative agencies have carried out investigations that show a close linkage between her and Ghana Jollof, and that she is one of the people who help spread her content. So they are investigating to find out exactly what has gone on.”

Mr Kwakye Ofosu further said he had seen some of the evidence gathered by investigators and considered it substantial.

“So the claim that this nurse is innocent and that she has been picked up is also not true. I have seen aspects of the evidence that they have, and I can assure you that it is quite heavy,” he said.

Ms Baffoe’s alleged role in the publication and circulation of the videos remains before the court and has not been established.