Alleged $1m Bribe Audio: Why Wait For 2 Years? Barker-Vormawor’s Integrity Questioned

A Sustainability, Climate and Social Innovation Advisor, Enam Akoetey, has lashed out at social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor for his decision to now disclose an alleged bribery attempt that happened years ago, despite claiming to have the evidence.

It will be recalled that Mr Barker-Vormawor recently accepted a request by the National Security Ministry to provide evidence supporting his claim that a minister offered him a $1 million bribe in 2021 to stop activism against the government.

His announcement to release the evidence only after the three-day #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest has raised eyebrows, with some critics suggesting that he has nothing to back his claims.

The delay has led some to speculate about the timing and potential motivations behind the disclosure.

While commenting on the development, Madam Akoetey questioned the delay, emphasising the importance of integrity in such matters.

“There are a lot of claims going out, and I am saying that they are all about integrity. If you are saying that a lot of people called you to say that don’t publish something, the question is, if you are a person that is value-driven, would you listen to them or say, ‘I hear what you are asking me to do, but it is the wrong thing so I am going to defy you and publish’”.

In an interview on Joy News, she wondered why Mr Barker-Vormawor, who has been championing better leadership and accountability, chose to hold on to the alleged bribery audio for such an extended period.

Meanwhile, Mr Barker-Vormawor insists that the meeting where he was made the promise was an exclusive, secret one-on-one encounter between himself and the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, which transpired before the first #FixTheCountry protest in 2021.

But Mr Kan-Dapaah has refuted the vile allegations, emphasising that Mr Barker-Vormawor is peddling falsehood.

In an exclusive interview with The Ghana Report, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah explained that his interactions with Mr. Barker-Vormawor were open meetings with other officials present, including the now National Co-ordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission and former Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Major General Emmanuel Wekem Kotia.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah pointed out that the interaction was purely to hear out Barker-Vormawor, who had been ranting on several issues.

He insisted: “General Kotia was part of the meeting. Ask him if there was any talk about money”.

The National Security Minister added that the meeting was “not shrouded in secrecy. It was to hear his [Vormawor’s] grievance and clarify”.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah stressed: “I have never called Vormawor myself in life ever”.