I’m elated by Akufo-Addo’s views on CSOs in Ghana – Braimah

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Suleman Braimah has said he is thrilled by President Akufo-Addo’s views on the work of Civil Society Organization (CSOs) in Ghana.

He said Mr Akufo-Addo’s views on the CSO activism under his administration is an indication that the bodies have not changed their modus operandi – criticism – they adopted under the Mahama administration

The president had said some CSOs wanted him to lose the 2020 elections.

He said they continued to attack his government and the works they engaged in thereby drawing a thin line between objective commentary and a political one.

President Akufo-Addo made the comment while addressing the Ghana National Anti-Corruption Coalition after the group paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House on Wednesday.

“There is something that none of us can overlook. The highly political atmosphere in which many of these allegations are made here in Ghana, which some of the CSOs are privy to and complacent in, where the line between them being independent commentary and being politically related commentary is very thin and in many cases, the lines are in fact crossed.”

The President added “there are CSOs that mounted campaigns to make sure that I do not continue to sit in this seat. I cannot overlook that when I hear them continue to attack my government and its works, that these were not people who are in any way objective or sympathetic to what I was doing. So, if I tend not to pay too much attention to what they say, for myself, I think that a lot of objective people will appreciate the position that I take.”

“When you are seated in this office, you are required to listen to everybody, especially people like you to take into account the statements and the commentary that you make, and then we will move forward from it.”

Reacting to the President’s comment in a tweet, Mr Braimah said “I am very elated by President Akufo-Addo’s views about CSOs. He just convinced me that CSOs in Ghana haven’t changed.

“They remain who they were under President Manama. They haven’t changed from their consistent demand for better governance and fight against corruption.”

I am very elated by President Akufo-Addo's views about CSOs. He just convinced me that CSOs in Ghana haven't changed. They remain who they were under President Manama. They haven't changed from their consistent demand for better governance and fight against corruption.

— Sulemana Braimah (@sulemana) August 20, 2021