The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has added its voice to the growing number of condemnations against the alleged arrest and assault on two journalists of Accra based Citi Fm/CitiTV by National Security Operatives.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC said the alleged attack on Mr Caleb Kudah and the harassment of Mrs Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo formed part of what it described as a culture of impunity under the Akufo-Addo administration.
It mentioned the recent alleged attack on the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator by some persons believed to be part of a vigilante group and the presence of military men on the floor of Parliament during the election of a Speaker of Parliament to drive home its point.
“The genesis of these trends is not hard to identify: the needless invasion by state-sponsored vigilantes of the voting process during the Ayawaso Bye-election in January 2019, the virtual militarisation of the registration of voters last year and the unprecedented violence that accompanied the election proper last December, culminating in the untimely death of eight innocent Ghanaian citizens,” the NDC said.
Rule of law
In the estimation of the NDC, the attack on the two journalists showed that the Akufo-Addo led administration had failed to uphold the rule of law.
“The continued presence of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Samuel Kojo Azugu, in the National Security apparatus and the brutish conduct of Lt Colonel Agyemang fly totally in the face of the solemn recommendations of the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry,” the NDC said.
Don’t be quiet
The largest opposition party urged Ghanaians not to keep quiet about happenings in the country.
It said keeping quiet would only embolden such persons to continue to defile the rights and freedoms of people in this country
“Many were our citizens who erroneously decided to remain quiet because they assumed that we in the NDC were making unnecessary political noises,” the party said.
It said Ghanaians had a right to live in safety and security and go about their lives without fear and intimidation
Call on President
The NDC also called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to perform his duties by protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of Ghanaians.
“We urge the President to sit up and do the work for which he was elected to do. He must do that work with full respect for our rights and welfare,” the NDC added.
Background
Recounting his ordeal, Mr Kudah told the Daily Graphic last Friday that on May 11, he entered the precincts of the Ministry of National Security to take photos of some abandoned cars belonging to the Micro Finance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) to help expose the misuse of national resources.
He said just as he was leaving the place after taking the photos, he was confronted by an official who inquired from him about his mission at the place.
After the confrontation, Mr Kudah alleged he was arrested and manhandled by both uniformed policemen and plain-clothes officials of the ministry.
Many groups, including OccupyGhana, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Media Foundation for West Africa, have condemned the alleged action by the National Security operatives.
The Ministry of National Security has said it had initiated investigations into the alleged assault of Mr Kudah and Mrs Abu-Baidoo Addo during their arrest and interrogation.
In a statement signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Lt Col Ababio Serebour (retd), the ministry said: “It takes with all seriousness the allegations of manhandling of the two journalists during the interrogations.”
“The Ministry of National Security assures the public that appropriate actions shall be taken if the allegations are found to be true,” the statement assured.
Source: graphiconline.com
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Per NDC revolution antecedent it means that in Ghana today anybody at all can take a camera and go about filming individual because it is within their rights to film . I was thinking that the NDC will rebuke the gentleman for doing such a nasty thing but rather supporting him to do more. NDC as a political party will not learn any lesson and are on the path for another Hugh defeat come 2024 becuase they support wrong characters in Ghana especially that caleb guy.. I am advising Caleb to take his camera once again and visit the homes of NDC leadership and start filming them and sent them to another colleague as done to the national security type and let see if Ghana is democratic or not. Ghana is sick per NDC leadership stand and the cruel nature of the Citi fm guy and the approach applied on the security installation area. When the road markings does not affect your building ,you the surveyor has a straight eyes
Per NDC revolution antecedent it means that in Ghana today anybody at all can take a camera and go about filming individual because it is within their rights to film . I was thinking will rebuke the gentleman for doing such a nasty thing but rather supporting him to do more. NDC as a political party will not learn any lesson and are on the path another Hugh defeat come 2024 becuase the support wrong characters in Ghana especially that caleb guy.. I am advising Caleb to take his camera once again and visit the homes NDC leadership and start filming them and sent them another colleague as done to the national security type and let see if Ghana is democratic or not. Ghana is sick per NDC leadership stand on the cruel nature the Citifm guy approach .