Phone Bugging ... We Warned You -Palaver

AS far back as August 18, 2003, your authoritative “Ghana Palaver” investigations team warned the public about the illegal bugging of telephones, then going on in the country.

According to the information gathered, a listening device had been put in place by an “agency”, which record telephone conversations emanating from some targeted individuals, especially public figures.

Although the report mentioned some land-line telephone numbers, used in carrying out the diabolical act, some officials reacted, angrily, and claimed that the paper was merely crying “wolf”.

Officials of Ghana Telecom, in particular, said to be implicated in the illegal act, came out with the loudest of the denial of the organisation’s involvement in the plot, as if bugging, as an illegal practice, is technically impossible.

Bugging of telephones is noted as one of the acts, used by “fascist” regimes, in tracking down their perceived opponents an act condemned by the international community and regarded as an abuse of human rights, and especially as an infringement on the rights of individuals.

It was the act of bugging which caused the downfall of American President, Richard Nixon, in the infamous Watergate scandal.

It is these devices, which Editors of some pro-Government newspapers in Ghana now claim to be in their possession, and using them to tap... and “triumphantly” on air too!

First was the case of Mr. Kweku Baako Jnr., Managing Editor of the “Crusading Guide”, who boasted that he had been intercepting calls to and from the house of former President J. J. Rawlings. That was about two years ago.

Then, only early this week, the Deputy Editor of “The Vanguard News“, Mr. Frank Fordwuor, admitted on air that the paper had “the capacity” to intercept telephone conversations, especially those involving top NDC members.

Now, there is a public outcry against this crude intrusion into the liberties of Ghanaians and a call on the security agencies, if not implicated, to take the necessary action against those involved in the criminal acts.