The National Democratic Congress has stated that journalist are being cowed into silence, through the atmosphere of oppression and harassment under President Akufo-Addo.
The opposition party expressed concern that the police appear complicit and aiding the Akufo-Addo-led government to hound journalists and citizens.
In a statement issued by the General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, four journalists have suffered police brutalities and in some cases unfair judicial conviction.
“Last week a Media Generale Radio
and TV presenter, Captain Smart was
in a Rambo-style dragged into
detention, after he had been granted
bail by a court. Last Tuesday another
radio presenter, Oheneba Boamah
Bennie of Power Fm/TV XYZ was
incarcerated for statements he
allegedly made against the President”, the statement said.
It added that ” a civil society activist, Mr Mensah Thompson was arrested, detained,
sent to court on criminal charges,
granted bail and yet again detained all
for being critical of President Akufo-
Addo.”
Johnson Asiedu Nketia also recounted the gruesome murder of an investigative journalist, Mr. Ahmed Suale, following
his expose of the involvement of the
President and his Vice in the Kwesi
Nyantekyi – bribery scandal.
He intimated that the arrests
and harassments are an attempt by the
‘Akufo-Addo junta’ to put fear in
Ghanaians opposed to e-levy and
douse the impact of the massive ‘
Yentua demonstration by the NDC.
“We are deeply worried by the loud
silence of the Moral Society, large
section of Civil Society and rather
surprisingly the Ghana Journalists
Association, whose members are
under siege”, the NDC declared.
They finally called on Civil Society Organizations, the GJA and members of the Moral Society to speak out against the
blatant acts of repression being
perpetrated against Ghana’s fledgling
democracy.
