Deputy Women’s Organiser of NDC, Maame Efua Sakyi-Aidoo Houadjeto
Ghana is “not used to being a country that we are stifled and gagged and live in fear of being murdered because there is no freedom of speech,” Deputy Women’s Organiser of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Maame Efua Sakyi-Aidoo Houadjeto has said.
She told Nana Yaw Adwenpa on CTV’s Anopa Dwabremu programme on Tuesday, 29 June 2021 during a discussion about the murder of a #FixTheCountry activist in the Ashanti Region that: “I think this country has enjoyed a lot of openness and freedom to speak.”
Ibrahim Mohammed alias Kaaka, who was also a member of the Economic Fighters League, was attacked in the early hours of Saturday, 26 June 2021, which resulted in his unconsciousness and hospitalisation.
He died while on admission on Sunday, 28 June 2021.
Condemning the killing of Kaaka, Mrs Houadjeto asked: “Who attacked ‘kume preko’ demonstrators?”
“When it comes to NPP, even elections that are supposed to be a civil right, you were able to shoot people, spray bullets into people and kill people,” she said.
In her view, “these are experiences that are very new to us.”
Citing more examples to buttress her argument that the Akufo-Addo-led government has been intolerant of criticism and stifled free speech, Mrs Houadjeto said: “Look at what happened at Ayawaso West Wuogon” during the 2019 by-election.
“Look at what they have turned the national security office into”, she complained, adding: “All these things are not healthy.”
She pleaded with the president to be a father for all.
“We are begging His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo that he may be a fantastic husband, he may be a fantastic father but when it comes to being the leader of a country when it comes to being a president, we plead with him that he has got it a bit out of line, he’s failing”, she said.
“He should allow all of us to enjoy him as a father and he should stop harassing us, he should stop feeling that power isn’t transient”, she urged.
She noted that “Ghana is a united country” and “we don’t like to be divided, we want a united front.”