You Don’t Need ‘Presidential Credentials To Criticise Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last week Thursday, during an encounter with the media to announce the last batch of his ministerial nominees, made a very important statement which shows that he is ready to make his administration accountable to the good people of Ghana.

“My government is open to criticism,” he said when he introduced the Minister for Information-designate, Mustapha Hamid.

Well, we at the Daily Statesman, just like many Ghanaians, were not surprised to hear this coming from the President because he, throughout his adult life, had been at the forefront of championing media independence and individual liberties. These include the right of the citizenry to express themselves freely about how their country is being governed at any point in time.

As Attorney-General in the Kufuor administration, President Akufo-Addo was responsible for the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law, a law that had hitherto been used to intimidate the media and criminalize free speech. The repeal has enabled the Ghanaian media to become one of the most vibrant and freest in Africa.

As Ghanaians, we believe criticizing the government constructively is very good for the development of our nation. This does not only ensure that the government is kept constantly on its toes, but also affords state officials the opportunity to know their shortfalls for the required remedial actions to be taken.

Unlike the previous administration, where criticizing the president was supposed to be the preserve of only ex-presidents, President Nana Akufo-Addo is rather urging the media and the people of Ghana to help move the nation forward by offering constructive criticisms. That is certainly the mark of a true democrat who is ready to tolerate the views of others.

This position certainly stands in sharp contrast to what was espoused by former President Mahama and his appointees who only wanted to tell Ghanaians that their votes were needed but their criticisms were not welcomed when things went the wrong way.

The Akufo-Addo-led government has shown that it is ready to make the country work again and not repeat the mistakes witnessed in the previous NDC government where every Tom, Dick and Harry in government appeared vehemently opposed to criticisms, and even when the truth stared them in the face, failed to do the honourable thing by apologizing, forgetting that they were elected into government to serve.

Ghanaians expect nothing but good governance from this government which will go a long way in impacting positively in their lives, and to have a government that is open to criticisms means a lot for the governance system of the country.

We urge all appointees of the President to also emulate his character, appreciating the fact that agenda for which Ghanaians voted them into office cannot be achieved if those placed in positions to serve are arrogant, fail to recognize the views and concerns of the people and act on them accordingly.

They are expected to make their doors open always, have listening ears, and keep their eyes on the ball. The Akufo-Addo government just cannot repeat the mistakes of the previous Mahama-led NDC government. That will be a huge betrayal of the trust of the people.