Stop intimidating our people – Volta NDC warns gov’t

The Volta Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, has served notice of an impending demonstration against the government over what it believes is the general state of insecurity in the country.

It also says the demonstration will be to highlight the government’s efforts to clamp down on dissenting voices and intimidation of people who are critical of its governance.

The party among other examples cited the investigation and prosecution of its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo as one of the reasons for the planned demonstration.

It said it wants the government to work to ensure the safety of all in the country.

Mathias Alagbo, who is the Volta Regional Youth Organiser of the party told Citi News that:

“If we are free, Manasseh Azure Awuni will not be running from one country to the other. Ahmed Hussein-Suale would not have died because he was doing his job. If we are free, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo would not be harassed and intimidated daily to answer to quack charges…Today what we see is government’s attempt to use state agencies both security and regulatory bodies like the NCA to shut every opposition voice. We are not free. That is not what we voted for,” he said.

The regional chapter of the party in an earlier statement said the party will take all the necessary actions to defend themselves and the rights of other citizens.

“We wish to serve notice to the government that we have had enough of this Machiavellian leadership and we shall take the necessary actions to protect ourselves and our rights as citizens and not as spectators.”

“Ghana has come far and we will do anything to protect the freedom and justice our ancestors fought and won for us. We hope that government will change its ways for a more peaceful and resilient country.”

The party in a separate statement further charged on the government to deliver on its promises and stop oppressing members aligned to the NDC.

“We are equally appalled and highly disappointed that having failed to deliver on their countless campaign promises aside the skyrocketing hardship, insecurity and joblessness occasioned by his visionless leadership, President Akufo Addo’s response was to embark on the path of tyranny, oppression and dictatorial tendencies which has the potential to plunge this country into chaos.”

“We wish to serve notice that having chosen this dangerous path of criminal intimidations and harassments, we the youth will organize and hit the streets soon as a first measure among many to come in defense of our rights.”

Read below the full statement:

STATEMENT BY NDC VOLTA/ OTI REGIONAL YOUTH WING ON RECENT HAPPENINGS IN THE COUNTRY

It has become necessary for the Volta/Oti Regional Youth wing of the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to condemn the increasing spate of intimidation, harassment, persecution and reckless lawlessness perpetrated by the government of President Nana Akufo Addo against our National Chairman and NDC party functionaries in his attempt to cowardly silence opposition voices holding his feet to the fire of accountability.

We are equally appalled and highly disappointed that having failed to deliver on their countless campaign promises aside the skyrocketing hardship, insecurity and joblessness occasioned by his visionless leadership, President Akufo Addo’s response was to embark on the path of tyranny, oppression and dictatorial tendencies which has the potential to plunge this country into chaos.’

It is very troubling to note that President Akufo Addo has overly politicized every state institution including the security agencies and the electoral commission manned by his surrogates doing his dirty biddings. It is even more appalling that these sensitive state institutions have degenerated to such low levels to be used as pawns in the pursuit of a bizarre political immortality by the NPP. The constant use of the Police CID headed by COP Maame Tiwaa Addo Danquah to terrorize our National Chairman over frivolous charges and governments repressive act to use armed police and NCA officials to close down radio gold and radio xyz at the time they were live streaming an NDC press conference left much to be desired.

Nana Akufo Addo will go down in history as the President who suppresses press freedom most under the fourth republic. It is so sad that under President Nana Addo who claims to be a human rights activist, Ghana has reduced in world freedom ranking. It is so petrifying, that under this same deceptive Nana Addo led government, journalists like Ahmed Suale was murdered in cold blood for doing his work and no serious action is being taken to find the perpetrators. It is equally horrifying that under this same Nana Addo’s Presidency, Journalists as Manase Azure Awune and others are on the run for their lives just because they exposed the rots in this government including kidnappings, government-sponsored vigilantism, chronic corruption and moral bankruptcy.

All these capricious and unprecedented criminal maneuverings by NPP only points to the fact that, they have failed the people of Ghana and have since given up on governance and using brutish force, institutional bastardization and usurpation of the democratic rights of Ghanaians all in their futile bid to entrench themselves in power illegally. This diversion tactics to hide NPP’s gross incompetence must end now.

We, the Youth of the World Bank of the NDC stand solidly behind the position of the party not to cooperate with the political police laden with NPP vigilante operatives on a mission to silence every voice of dissent. We also wish to use this medium to send a strong warning to the ruling NPP government that we determined and ready to resist every oppressors rule as enshrined in our national anthem.

Let it be known that our dear country lost lives in the pursuit of the freedom we enjoyed today. Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo became President and decided to bastardize all the state institutions including the police to silence every voice of reason. We will not allow the NAADA government to take us back in time. There has been heightened levels of insecurity, poverty, and hopelessness amongst the youth occasioned by his wayward leadership and that is what he should be working to fix and not focused on rigging the 2020 elections through dubious means. Ghanaians shall rise and show the NPP their smoothness level come 2020 no matter what they do.

By this statement, we wish to serve notice to the government that we have had enough of this Machiavellian leadership and we shall take the necessary actions to protect ourselves and our rights as citizens and not as spectators.

Ghana has come far and we will do anything to protect the freedom and justice our ancestors fought and won for us.

We hope that government will change its ways for a more peaceful and resilient country. We wish to advise the NPP to drop those frivolous and baseless charges against our National Chairman and take steps to reopen the closed media houses it closed because of its gross intolerance of divergent opinion. We wish to serve notice that having chosen this dangerous path of criminal intimidations and harassments, we the youth will organize and hit the streets soon as a first measure among many to come in defense of our rights.

Long live our homeland, Ghana!

End.

Signed by:

Mathias Alagbo

Regional Youth Organizer

Sulemana Mumuni

Deputy Regional Youth Organizer

Kwame Junior Asiemor

Deputy Regional Youth Organizer