Opoku Mensah urges Christian Council, House of Chiefs to speak up on democratic freedoms

Spokesperson for former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has challenged the Christian Council of Ghana and the National House of Chiefs to speak out on what he describes as the erosion of democratic freedoms in Ghana.

According to Yaw Opoku Mensah, the two institutions, as important moral voices in the country, have a responsibility to speak when citizens’ rights and freedoms are at stake.

He expressed concern over what he described as the government’s resort to the arrest of dissenting voices, arguing that such developments raise questions about the protection of democratic freedoms.

“The Christian Council and the National House of Chiefs are supposed to be moral voices of the country and as institutions capable of speaking truth to power when citizens’ rights and freedoms are at stake,” he said.

According to him, the apparent silence of such institutions should not always be interpreted as neutrality.

“Silence cannot always be called neutrality. Sometimes, silence is a betrayal,” Mr Opoku Mensah said.

He questioned the role of the two institutions if concerns about being perceived as supporting a particular political side prevented them from speaking against the alleged abuse of state power.

“If fear of being accused of supporting one political side prevents these institutions from speaking when government power is being abused, then we must ask: who exactly are they representing?” he asked.

Mr Mensah stressed that accountability should apply to every government, regardless of the political party in power.

“Government must be held accountable, regardless of which political party is in power. Human rights do not belong to any political party. They belong to the Ghanaian people,” he said.

He further warned that Ghana’s democracy could face serious challenges if institutions expected to serve as the country’s moral conscience fail to speak when necessary.

“If the institutions that should serve as the moral conscience of the nation cannot call power to order when necessary, then our democracy has a serious problem,” he said.

Mr Mensah therefore called for what he described as moral courage from the two institutions.

“Ghana needs moral courage, not convenient silence. Speak up when it matters,” he added.