Award-winning Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has written a powerful letter to President Akufo-Addo, warning him about his government’s seeming antagonizing of CSO’s, and how this could affect his party.
In a Facebook post, the renowned journalist wrote,
“Dear Ogyam,
I could feel it, and those in the room could have touched your disappointment and righteous indignation. You were surprised that your main opponent had shared an article with an offensive headline and people were not taking him to the cleaners.
If I may ask, who did you want to speak up against your opponent? Your teeming supporters and praise singers were drooling all over social media because your opponent had thoughtlessly presented them with juicy political fodder and they would chew and ruminate for years to come. Was that not enough?
You mentioned that prominent people and pressure groups such as the Catholic Bishops Coference failed to condemn your opponent.
When I heard you, I laughed heartily. Last week, I prophesied that you and your party would one day need the “dumb” and “noise-making” civil society organisations and independent voices to speak for you so you should stop discrediting them and calling them “all-knowing neutrals.” My prophecy was that you would need them in opposition, but you’ve shown that you need them now.
Weep not, Ogyam. Don’t worry so much in trying to figure out why journalists who have not sold their conscience and serious civil society groups are uncharacteristically at logger heads with the NPP.
It has something to do with your leadership. I’m not very old but my reading of politics in the Fourth Republic suggests that these independent voices, journalists and CSOs have a soft spot for the NPP as against the NDC, which was born from a repressive military regime.
I knew how the NPP was when it was led by Kufuor and I know how the NPP is under your leadership. The difference is clearer than night and day.
As you become stronger and more powerful, the NPP becomes weaker, and whoever succeeds you as leader of your party will have a difficult time restoring nobility to the party founded on solid democratic foundations.
In speaking up in the past, one only had to check one’s “factometre”. Today, the daredevils who speak up have to constantly check their “fearometre“.
As to why independent CSOs and institutions are silent on injustice against you as your party, I have this simple reason for you.
Nana Yenkamasem and Nana Kabimame cannot rule from the same palace.
Our elders say, it’s only a fool to whom a proverb is explained. Those old sages have also taught us that the wise are spoken to in proverbs.
I know you’re a wise man and you’ll understand this and make amends.
