Ghana has lost its democracy because of 'autocrat' Akufo-Addo – NDC man

Communication team member for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Osei Akoto, has expressed his dismay over the current condition of Ghana’s democracy under the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The former NPP patriot, reiterated that the recent harassment of journalists and some Ghanaians who airs their views contradict the principles of democracy in Ghana.

He deems it irrational for journalists and Ghanaians to be harassed for sharing a piece of their mind under the era of a leader who led the charge against the criminal libel law.

Speaking in an interview on Happy98.9 FM’s “Epa Hoa Daben” political talk show, he indicated that the family of the victims who suffered loses after the previous General elections have been unfairly treated by the ruling government.

“It’s been almost three years since innocent lives were lost, including children during the 2020 general elections. The elections that was supervised by the ruling NPP gov’t and the electoral commission saw shots fired at civilians. So the restless family victims have every right to complain but these complains have amounted to nothing. The government has done nothing but turned a blind eye on its people,” he said.

Reacting to the NDC’s petition to the Commonwealth of Nations for “harassment and abuse on its members and Ghanaian journalists,” he said, “Some NDC members have been arraigned before court with criminal charges and just recently, a journalist was jailed for saying his thoughts.

"But the thing is during the NDC regimes, under President Mahama, Atta Mills and even Rawlings they said every lie to Ghanaians to make us unpopular. We didn’t hear any report of the arrests and imprisonment of these people. Even insults were leveled at Mahama yet he kept quiet because he believed in opinion sharing as a democratic leader.”

“However, Nana Addo has said Ghanaians should never talk about him and his tenure. The man who organized several mass demonstrations to get rid of the criminal libel law has seen Ghanaians imprisoned for the mere reason of speaking up.

"Our democracy has always been ‘Ka bi na min ka bi’, so if the Presidents says something and we as responsible Ghanaians want to share our thoughts, why should we be arrested?” he asked.

Osei Akoto further warned that the opposition NDC party would keep on sharing their take on the affairs and administration of the NPP government despite attempts to ridicule its members and Ghanaian journalists.