For many a Ghanaian who believed President Mahama’s Reset mantra was to catapult the nation from what was bequeathed to him by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to another enviable position.
What we are witnessing, however, leaves so much to be desired. Just this evening, Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, host of For The Records show, was picked up by operatives of the National Security.
He was at GIMPA to write an examination and was soon picked up upon finishing the exams and was heading home. Afrifa’s Rambo-style arrest has come about as a result of his recent criticisms of the Mahama government.
Prior to his arrest, Okatakyie’s program which was being aired live on Facebook and YouTube were suddenly interrupted and taken off air for reasons yet to be made public.
It’s been more than two weeks when his live show was rudely taken off air. Just yesterday, he wrote on his official Facebook page that the show, For the Records, will resume next week.
This strange events are happening under a president who was a trained journalist and knows how important freedom of the press is to the nation’s democratic culture.
By this arrest, President Mahama is gagging the citizenry in general and the press in particular from expressing their concerns and views. Ghana has come too far to be visited by such dark age tendencies from a President who made issues about press freedom cardinal in his electioneering campaign.
This is not the first time this administration is persecuting people who have their opinions which are parallel to the whims and caprices of the John Mahama government. United Nationswame Baffoe Abronye was recently arrested and detained for hours for speaking against the president.
The GJA President, Kwabena Dwumfuor must not treat this irresponsible, highhanded, and unjustifiable act as business as usual. The association must do more to stem this growing and worrying trend.
I call on the American Embassy of Ghana,Accra, the British High Commission, Accra, the United Nations in Ghana, United Nations Development Programme – UNDP, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to intervene in this matter.
World Bank, World Bank Africa, World Bank Ghana, the International Monetary Fund, The BBC Ghana, BBC News, CNN International, CNN should call John Mahama to order.
This level of intolerance and impunity, coupled with unlawful arrests and detentions by the security operatives of this administration must end.
Ghana has come far in our democratic journey to be plunged into the kind of darkness that was our lot to experience over 30 years ago.
P.K.Sarpong, Whispers from the Corridors of the Thinking Place.