Second Deputy Minority Whip and MP for Weija Gbawe, Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has accused the government of stifling free speech, saying the trend contradicts the core principles of the Open Government Partnership.
Commenting on a statement by the Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms, Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, to mark OGP Week in Parliament, Shaib said Ghanaians are not feeling the impact of open government.
“We are talking about the Open Government Partnership, yet there is a culture of silence creeping back into this country,” Shaib told the House. “People are afraid to speak. Citizens are being guarded, intimidated, harassed, arrested, and detained for expressing themselves.”
He argued that the recent spate of arrests defeats the purpose of the OGP.
“The OGP is supposed to create a platform for feedback between the government and citizens. When citizens give that feedback, it should not become grounds for arrest.”
The MP referenced Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, which he said were being used to limit expression despite the repeal of the criminal libel law.
“As we speak now, citizens are unable to comment the way they are supposed to because they are guarded.”
“If the Minister is mandated to push an agenda of open governance, the first thing she must consider is to push for free speech,” he said.
“Let the government and the committee be a platform for feedback. Let there not be a culture of silence.”
Ahmed Shaib stressed that the OGP cannot work if people fear reprisals. “A citizen should be free to appear before this committee to tell the Minister that ‘Dumsor’ is back or galamsey is destroying our water bodies. That should be heard without any form of arrest.”
“Governance is inflow and outflow,” he added. “You will hear things you want to hear and things you don’t want to hear. The duty of government is to listen and fix it, not to silence the messenger.”
He added that Ghana’s international praise for the OGP would ring hollow if ordinary citizens could not speak freely. “Open government must be felt by Ghanaians, not just announced in Parliament.”
OGP Week is observed globally from 18 to 22 May to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen participation. Ghana has been a member since September 2011.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana