Should repeal of criminal libel law be credited to Akufo-Addo? – Manasseh Azure asks

One of the things President Akufo-Addo is usually credited with is the repeal of the criminal libel law.

As Attorney General under the Kufuor administration, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led the charge for the scrapping of the law, tabling bills and engaging in other activities to ensure that the controversial law was repealed.

He is thus often celebrated as an icon of press freedom with this feat mentioned as the grounds for such adulations.

But Manasseh Azure has in a social post questioned why Akufo-Addo should be touted as the brain behind the repeal of the criminal libel law/

He reasons that since the ultimate responsibility lies with the president of the day, the glory should go to Akufo-Addo's boss at the time, in this case former President John Agyekum Kufuor who should be celebrated as the one whose reign saw the repeal of the law.

“Free SHS is Akufo-Addo's legacy, not Napo's or Adutwum's. Criminal Libel repeal is Kufuor's legacy, not Akufo-Addo's. Fair?,” he posted on Facebook.

Manasseh was trying to explain an earlier post where he praised former presidents Kufuor, Mills and Mahama for the promotion of press freedom in Ghana.

The ace investigative journalist held that Twitter’s decision to pitch their headquarters in Ghana is due to the works of the past presidents.

“Kudos to JA Kufuor, Atta Mills, John Mahama and all who have promoted free speech and made us attractive to the likes of Twitter,” Manasseh posted on Facebook.

This assertion by Manasseh drew the ire of Paul Adom-Otchere who dedicated a segment of his latest show on Metro TV to criticizing him.

“Mr Facebook poster, this shows that you are a very bitter person; don’t be bitter; relax; calm down. The essence of life is love, we love each other and we criticize each other.

He continued: “This your bitterness against Akufo-Addo is not going to take you anywhere and it’s not your decision. The Ghanaian people decided that the man has been re-elected for a second time; you fought, you did all that you can; called him all sort of names because you said he did not achieve something.

"Today, you are saying that John Mahama is pro-free speech. Are you not the same person who was on Stan Dogbe’s neck about some journalist who died unfortunately and seizing journalist equipment and all of that. What kind of hypocrisy is this?,” Adom-Otchere quizzed.