Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom, and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man… -Benjamin Franklin, 1722 (at age 16)
Yes, the notion of freedom of speech seems truly frightening to many government officials in Ghana. Actually, it's not so much the notion of it--any government official who claims to be against freedom is about as unlikely as finding its way out. We all stand up publicly and say we're in favor of freedom of speech; it's not until someone actually starts exercising that freedom that the trouble usually starts.
More frightening, to my mind at least, is what's going on in our country now: people are actually going to the C.I.D for investigation, court and even jail because of speaking their mind. At least two people have ended up in court because they said what on their mind one just lost his position; anyway did that hurt or step on anyone’s toe?
This is not the time to be silent, so I demand that you respect whatever topic I select to write on, per article 21 of the 1992 constitution that was drafted by the then PNDC which this government is a product of or maybe they were not there at that time and even if they were, I believed they would have opposed the right to freedom of speech…. This sates “all persons shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, which shall include freedom of the press and other media” But what do we see and hear now the last time I checked it was Nana Darkwa and then Dr. Nkruma last night it was Ato Kwamena Dadzie, I believe tomorrow is going to be the Minority in Parliament hey guys u better watch out.
Oh least I forgot, isn’t it this government that preached “Asomdwee” on the mountain of campaign for power? Or Freedom of speech and Press isn’t part of the Asomdwee process, God is watching.
Give us our lips we claim as our God-given right. No one can give us any lip or I will scream out censorship Cut off our hands we will use our toes. If they decide to cut off those we will use our mouth to hold the pen and write our thoughts down once again.
Nanabanyin Arthur
nanabs10@yahoo.com
nanabs10@gmail.com
Atlanta-Georgia
Tuesday July 20, 2010
