Deputy Defence Minister, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, says the security agencies are on the alert to deal with any act that threatens Ghana’s peace and stability.

He said the threats of a coup d’etat should not be encouraged in a democracy when there are disagreements over government’s policies and decisions.

According to him, such pronouncements tend to adversely affect the external image of the country.

The Deputy Defence Minister described as worrying, threats of a coup d’etat by Covener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor over the controversial E-Levy debate.

Mr Amankwa-Manu said coup mongering has devastating effect on growing economies like Ghana.

Nonetheless, he said there should be no cause for worry.

“I would want to take this opportunity to assure every Ghanaian living in this country to go about their normal duties without any fear because I have so much confidence in our men in uniform.

“They are prepared to protect this country from those I would call destroyers, the doomsayers. Because for them, probably I don’t know what really, they will seek to benefit from coup.

“But I believe, I believe in all fairness, majority of Ghanaians do not want that to happen. We want our freedom.

“If we want to take a decision so far as changing government in this country is concerned, we will go to the ballot box and not to use the bullet,” he said.

Mr Amankwa-Manu is also unhappy with a statement by General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

“It is worrying more especially when you have people who are supposed to know better talking or calling for coups. It is worrying.

“Sometimes, I wonder if those who are calling for coup have really experienced coups in Ghana or in other countries within the sub region.

“I don’t think it is the way to go. Look, we have many people, we have people who support what the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is doing.

He added, “…Much the same way, we have others who also have a different opinion. That is why within the laws of Ghana, we have said that every four years we will go to the ballot.

“So if you like what the NPP is doing, just go to the ballot and then make that decision. If on the other hand you disagree, again, you have the ballot to make that decision. We are not going to use guns to make that decision. No. And so it is worrying.

“We want to develop this country and we can develop this country not through coups. No. We can develop this country by sharing ideas. We can always disagree to agree we don’t have to fight.

For him, Mr Asiedu Nketia’s statement about the passage of the E-Levy is in bad taste.

“For crying out aloud, Parliament is not a boxing arena and nobody would want to go there and box. We go there to debate and share ideas. It’s a place where we always agree or disagree so that we can push the country forward”.

The lawmaker spoke to a section of the media after launching a youth livelihood empowerment project in his Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in the Ashanti region.

Some 120 sewing machines were presented to some youth currently undergoing the KAM-LEP fashion module.

The project has been instituted to equip over one thousand youth with employable skills for a sustainable livelihood.