Mustapha Hameed, a staunch NPP Activist has taken on Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni over the latter’s claims of a culture of silence.
Manasseh Azure Awuni has argued that the culture of silence which was prevalent in Ghana during the military regimes is creeping back under the Akufo-Addo administration.
According to Mr Azure, unlike under the tenure of former President Mahama, it is now more dangerous to criticize this government because you are more likely to be threatened.
He also cited the murder of Ahmed Suale after he had been threatened on Live TV by MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
However, in a reaction on Facebook, Mustapha Hameed, a former NPP parliamentary aspirant for Asawase in the Ashanti Region disagreed with the journalist’s claims.
According to him, Manasseh Azure and any other journalist who criticized this administration will be subjected to strict proof.
Mustapha Hameed wondered why a man who had the liberty to refer to a whole IGP as a pig will turn around to claim culture of silence.
He wrote,
“A man who is comfortable enough to insult the IGP, likening the head of police to a castrated pig shouldn’t be talking about a fictitious culture of silence.
That phantom culture of silence only exists in the minds of people like Manasseh and others with a rather delusional sense of relevance, that they are at liberty to form opinions on whatever topic but it is an act sacrilegious, that commoners like us, hold contrary opinions to their opinions.
Or when they speak, we must listen and come groveling at their feet, and any attempt to speak back tantamount to an infringement on their rights as journalists or ‘concerned citizens’.
No singular person in this country has abused politicians and political activists like Manasseh, like I said, he even likened a whole Inspector General of Police to a pig! The IGP did not complain, yet, Manasseh goes ahead to complain that he’s being gagged when he still remains the most vocal critic of this government and the most opinionated Ghanaian.
Probably the naked insults on the IGP that came without any repercussion wasn’t enough, that exercise of abusive free speech isn’t enough, probably the state must get him a whip to physically abuse leaders and politicians he doesn’t agree with, then maybe, he’d actually feel the free speech.
The belief that there is a prevailing culture of silence because others speak back when Manasseh speaks, trying to forcefully gag others is in actual fact, an attempt to impose a culture of silence.
That culture of silence is non-existent, at least, not under any of our recent regimes. It is a fictitious, it is a figment of Manasseh’s imagination and as bogus as his militia documentary.
Let people like Manasseh speak, one thing we can however assure him and others of his ilk, is that, we will speak back. If that is imposing a culture of silence, let the culture remain”.
Source: GhanaFeed.Com
