The Day “Earth-Quake” Striked Freedom Of Expression In Ghana Part (One)

It was on 18th February, 2010, the occasion was a newspaper review; the venue was Top FM Accra Ghana, and the issue was; discussions of outbreak of fire at ex-president Rawlings residence on 14th February, 2010, and what happened was that an aide to the ex-president one Kofi ordered the arrest of a panelist by name Nana Darkwa for allegedly saying the ex-president could have been responsible for the fire outbreak at his residence. Eye witnesses who spoke to the media said the premises of Top FM was full of security personnel who were behaving as if they were at the station to quelled a coup attempt on the government of president Mills. Another eye witness said “It was like the USA and UK got hint of Osama Bin Laden and were around to capture him at the radio station” What these eye witness narrations tell all of us is that, the arrest of Nana Darkwa was done in an ALARMIST and unprofessional manner! Alternative, more decent, and matured procedure could have been used to arrest the panelist if indeed it was necessary at all arresting him. That an aide to the ex-president could just order the security to descend on a radio station to arrest a panelist for making statements about an ex-president is barbaric and uncouth to say the least! Especially when Ghana is under a democratic rule and the rule of law is expected to function to its best. The security agencies must know that politicians will come and go but they have only retirement that is; if they don’t misconduct themselves to go! They must therefore be firm and bold to resist some of these illegal and macho displays of state powers to harass Ghanaians and to as well cow them to submission. There must be told that, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which is now “misusing” them to foment unprofessional conducts will go one day by all means and when the time comes they will be hurled to answer for their past misconduct and misdeeds by which time those politicians will not have even an atom weight of power to come to their defence. So the earlier they act professionally the better. Those chaps who also go about ordering the beatings and arrest of persons who expresses views they are intolerant of should be told that nothing lasts for ever! Some of them are still young and with good health and long life they will have marathon questions to answer one day. What goes around it is said comes around. Folks, if people are to be arrested at radio stations for expressing their views the way Nana Darkwa was arrested how will things end? Ghanaians are always quick to say “we don’t want Rwanda here” but some persons engage in certain illegal acts that can make Rwanda unavoidable in Ghana if they don’t put a stop to some of these criminal and open abuse of power in the country! The issue is even more disheartening when the same people are deaf and dumb when some people makes more damaging and treacherous remarks but are quick to respond when others expresses their views on issues! The other day an NDC activist “Dr” Asemfofro said on peace fm and other media houses that; the ex-president wanted to stage a coup to do away with president Mills. The question to ask Kofi is that, why was he not arrested by the security agencies to help in further investigations? What must be explained is that, his allegations were more serious than what Nana Darkwa is alleged to have said. And only last week the same Asemfofro broke loose on peace fm again saying that, “ex-president Rawlings was mentally sick and should be send to the mental hospital for treatment” Asemfofro made this statement on a radio station in reaction to the ex-president’s “Who born dog” statement. Why was he not arrested to substantiate what he said about the soundness of the mental state of the ex-president? Another social commentator; Bature threatened the ex president on air! Why was he not ordered to help the police to investigate further the threat on the ex-president? The list of those who threatened the ex-president is a long one to recount here!

The ex-president himself categorically called former president Kufour an Armed- robber comparable to Ataa Ayee a notorious armed robber. No Cockroach even went over his head even though he could not prove his remarks on the ex-president. Ex-president Rawlings is also on record to have accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of been behind the serial killings of women in the country some time ago and when he was challenged to provide even “nursery” evidence he could not. His inability to provide evidence to substantiate his often baseless allegations has never ended him at Nsawam. If I am to list one-by-one unfounded allegations and statements of Chairman Rawlings it will take me eternity to finish yet he was not treated like a common criminal. From the few examples given, there is no doubt at all that, the NPP was more tolerant in government and even more tolerant than the NDC outside government! But for the exceeding tolerance of the npp supporters and leadership, most Ghanaians would have been refugees in other countries! The results of the 2008 elections shows that the NPP which is now the unprovoked recipients of all these intimidations and gross harassment had over 49percent of the votes cast in the elections. The NDC and its fanatics must be told that they did not win election 2008 overwhelmingly to be doing some of the silly things they are doing right now in the country. I am concluding with these wise sayings; nothing lasts forever and every long journey definitely has an end!!

Akilu Sayibu UK Email: Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk