Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, has classified the culture of silence under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo under two varieties.
The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs stated that the first wave of the culture of silence, “started during the period of military rule which ended after the tenure of the late Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings as chairman of the PNDC.”
Delivering a speech at the International Association of Lion Clubs in Accra on Sunday, May 16, 2021, he stated that the second wave of the culture of silence much talked about under the Presidency of H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo–Addo comes in two-fold.
According to him, the first type of culture of silence is the category of people that have voluntarily opted to be silent or perhaps because as the saying goes you don’t talk while eating.
”Our customs strictly demand that we observe good table manners.”
The other category is those that are being shut down by force.
” The dichotomy must not be lost on us.”
In a link he shared on his Twitter page, he continued by stating how unfair it is: “particularly to those whose voices are being deliberately muzzled and who are suffering all forms of intimidation and harassment to be compared with those in the other category who are observing good table manners. This distinction is absolutely crucial.”
He also mentioned that the culture of silence has led to a “change in space which was occupied by very vociferous organisations and prominent individuals in the recent past have been taken over by a new crop of dynamic young voices who are adept at using the tools of the digital age to achieve maximum penetration and impact. We are now hearing and seeing many authentic and organic voices who do not have to go through the filters of the hitherto vociferous speakers.”
