Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a lawyer and social activist, has expressed concern over the redirection of the official Government of Ghana Presidency website to President John Dramani Mahama’s campaign website.
He lamented this development, highlighting the potential implications for the integrity and neutrality of state resources.
Barker-Vormawor criticized the use of an official government domain for partisan political purposes, calling it an inappropriate and troubling breach of the separation between state functions and political campaigning.
“This is pretty unfortunate and flies against everything that is administratively proper. In fact, this offends our national security strategy if not several laws.
“That website as well as the Presidency’s official social media handles form part of what is referred to as Critical National Information Infrastructure”.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor
Barker-Vormawor further emphasized that under no circumstances should the government integrate or align political party activities with critical national information systems.
The astute lawyer warned that blurring the lines between state operations and party politics risks undermining public confidence in national institutions and could lead to the politicization of essential government services.
He stressed the need for strict safeguards to prevent the misuse of state infrastructure for partisan purposes, ensuring that these systems remain neutral and dedicated solely to the public good.
Barker-Vormawor strongly condemned the situation, suggesting that those responsible may not fully grasp the serious security implications of their actions.
He raised concerns that such a breach could not have happened without someone gaining unauthorized access to the backend of the Government’s official domain.
Furthermore, he speculated that the incident likely received approval from an individual who should have understood the grave consequences and exercised better judgment.
Barker-Vormawor stressed that this incident reveals major flaws in oversight and security measures, urging an immediate investigation to identify those responsible and prevent future occurrences.
Barker-Vormawor Urges Legal Counsel and Due Diligence in Government Actions
Moreover, Oliver Barker-Vormawor emphasized the importance of seeking proper legal guidance in matters involving government actions.
He advised that this is precisely the reason the Office of the Legal Counsel to the President exists—to provide sound legal advice and ensure that decisions are made within the framework of the law.
He urged those in authority to consult legal counsel before taking any significant actions, particularly those involving national information systems or state resources.
Barker-Vormawor further stressed the importance of thorough due diligence, recommending that all actions be cross-checked multiple times to avoid errors and ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.
“When Raymond Atuguba was Executive Secretary, no minute decision was ever taken unless it was cross-checked at least three times to make sure it didn’t offend any law, policy, practice, or procedure.
“It’s a huge learning curve, the Presidency. But let administrative protocols be your guide. I saw this yesterday and gave it at least 24 hours to comment. My hope was that this would be remedied immediately. But it hasn’t”.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor
Vormawor also called for a thorough investigation into the incident, emphasizing the need to uncover the full extent of what transpired and hold those responsible accountable.
He underscored that such a breach of protocol and misuse of government resources cannot be overlooked.
He further stressed the importance of issuing a formal apology to the public, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and the breach of trust it represents.
Barker-Vormawor noted that while it is still early days for the newly sworn-in government, it is crucial for them to avoid such rookie mistakes as they settle into their roles.
He emphasized that these early missteps can undermine public trust and set a negative tone for the administration’s tenure.
Barker-Vormawor urged the government to exercise greater caution and diligence in its actions, ensuring that all processes are handled with the professionalism and competence expected of a governing body. “A word to the wise”.
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