‘I’ll be very careful in supporting #FixTheCountry movement openly’ – Manasseh Azure Awuni

Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, has disclosed that henceforth he will be hesitant in supporting the #FixTheCountry movement openly, following the arrest of one of their conveners, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, for threatening a coup.

Azure Awuni, who was speaking on Joy News’ ‘PM Express’ stated that, Barker-Vormawor’s statement on his Facebook timeline was “very reprehensible and I think it is extremely unfortunate.

“And what he has done beyond the legality and everything else is really hurting the movement he’s leading because from now onwards I will be very careful in pushing for, or supporting FixTheCountry Movement openly which I’ve always done because I don’t know the intention of those people leading it,”0 he said.

He explained, though it may seem Barker-Vormawor is in no position to carry out a coup, his comments could encourage potential coup plotters to go ahead with their nefarious plan.

“If you look at every coup maker, they often want to look at the atmosphere. Every one of them wants legitimacy. Are the people in this country ready for a coup? And that is the psychology with which they proceed to act.

“If they know overwhelmingly that Ghanaians will not support a coup, it will be very difficult for them to do it. But if they know well #FixTheCountry movement, young people they’re all clamouring to a coup, they will sit somewhere and say well if we strike we’re going to get people to support us.

“So it goes beyond what that individual has said or what he can do, but it also has to do with the kind of atmosphere, the kind of mentality that you prepare the minds of coup makers. He may have nothing to with it, but somebody somewhere is sitting down waiting for the most opportune time to act,” he explained.

“So what he has said is extremely unfortunate, condemnable and I admire his work so much but this is not something I’ll ever support,” he reiterated.

The #FixTheCountry convener, was charged with treason felony after he made comments on social media that have been deemed to be a coup threat.

The Ashaiman District Court on Monday, February 14, 2022, remanded Barker-Vormawor, into police custody till February 28.

Barker-Vormawor was arrested on Friday, February 11, upon his return to the country.

The police statement stated, his arrest was necessitated following a comment he made on the social media platforms to the effect that he would stage a coup if the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy popularly known as E-levy is passed into law.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor made the post after pictures of the E-levy cake at the Majority Leader’s 65th birthday party went viral.

During the court hearing, the lawyer for the suspect, Akoto Ampaw, prayed the court to grant him bail but the prosecutor, ASP Sylvester Asare, opposed the plea and asked that he be remanded due to the nature of the case.