The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the assault on journalist, Caleb Kudah, by National Security operatives. According to the major opposition party, President Akufo-Addo must “sit up and do the work for which he was elected”.

In a press statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, it explained that the party “would not sit idly for the rights of citizens to be infringed upon by state agencies and agents”.

It further called on the President to ensure the cessation of acts of lawlessness meted out to Ghanaian citizens.

Additionally, it called for proper treatment of media practitioners under the President’s administration by state security agencies.

“It is this unprecedented attack on the people of Ghana and the apparent helplessness or connivance of the President… that threatens the foundation of our democracy and the wellbeing of our fellow country men and women.

“Accordingly, we condemn in the strongest possible terms this degradation of our democracy by the Akufo-Addo government. We condemn the continuous abuse of our rights protected by the Constitution by the marauding and wayward administration of President Akufo-Addo”.

Genesis of attacks

Commenting of the recent attack, the statement suggests that, “the genesis of these trends is not hard to identify”. It further cited instances where “state-sponsored vigilantes” assaulted individuals.

According to the party, the unrest which happened in the Ayawaso bye-election was a “needless invasion”. It further harped on the “virtual militarization of the registration of voters process last year”.

With this, the party revealed it culminated “in the untimely death of eight innocent Ghanaian citizens”.

“Many were our citizens who erroneously decided to remain quiet; because they assumed that we in the NDC were making unnecessary political noises. For those of our citizens who formed that opinion, their silence only served to encourage the Akufo-Addo government that Ghanaians are weak and do not care enough about our democracy”.

Assault on journalists “brutish”

Reacting to the alleged attack on Citi FM journalist, the statement described the actions of the National Security operatives as brutish.

It pointed out that, the continued presence of DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu in the National Security is an affront to the fight against lawlessness.

“With the brutish assault of Mr. Caleb Kudah of Citi FM and the harassment of his colleague, Ms. Zoe Abu-Baidoo, the Akufo-Addo government demonstrated clearly that it does not believe in the rule of law nor common human decency; as the continued presence of Deputy Superintendent of Police Samuel Kojo Azugu in the National Security apparatus and the brutish conduct of Lt. Colonel Agyemang, fly totally in the face of the solemn recommendations of the Emile Short Commission of Inquiry”.

It further disclosed that every Ghanaian has the “right to live in safety and security as we go about our daily lives”.

“We have a right to live and breathe under this regime even in the face of the challenging economic situation brought about by the unbelievable incompetence of the Akufo-Addo government.

“We shall not sit idly by as President Akufo-Addo takes our citizens for granted, even as he has demonstrated utter cluelessness in attending to the welfare of Ghanaians.”