Ningo-Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey-George, has slammed President Akufo-Addo for claiming that the country has enjoyed complete free speech under his reign.

President Akufo-Addo during the 2023 State of the Nation's Address, lauded his government for championing free speech in the country.

He mentioned that: “Today, we live in a country in which we enjoy complete freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and political affiliation. Indeed, freedom of speech has now reached such heights that even members of the diplomatic corps feel able to join in our national discourse, and pronounce on matters that would be problematic for Ghanaian diplomats in their countries of origin."

But reacting to this, the vociferous MP disputed the claim, maintaining that free speech has been stifled under the current administration.

“This is a President who starts his speech by saying that we have the highest level of Freedom of Speech. The President has a short memory. His memory is failing him because if the President's memory is not failing him, he will remember that on the 31st of January last year, he summoned the diplomatic corps to Peduase and warned them that they should stop engaging in local issues and dabbling in local discourse,” Mr George said.

The Ningo-Prampram MP also commented on the issues of Military men invading Ashaiman following the murder of one of their colleagues.

He was baffled over the President’s silence on the issue during the 2023 State of the Nation’s address, thus, accused Mr Akufo-Addo of endorsing the violence.

“The President is commander of the Ghana Armed Forces, your taxes, my taxes were used to fuel an air force helicopter, fuel armoured personnel carriers and carried men of the Ghana Armed Forces to go and wreak havoc on innocent citizens of Ashaiman and the President doesn't think it is necessary to speak on that matter. In fact he endorses the violence and this is a man who was touted as a defender of Human and civil liberties,” he said.

He thus concluded that the title of a Human and Civil Liberties defender cannot be conferred on the President due to some of these issues.

Source: The Independent Ghana