Political activist and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Obeng Asare, popularly known as A Plus, has come out in staunch defence of free speech, highlighting the importance of bearing the consequences of one’s words without the fear of physical retaliation.
His comments come in the wake of an alarming incident on 7th October, where NPP supporters, stormed UTV studios, protesting against what they perceived as biased reporting and unjust attacks on governmental figures.
Speaking on the United Showbiz programme on 14th October, A Plus expressed deep disappointment with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government.
He felt personally targeted by the aggressors, despite his active role in supporting the current administration’s rise to power.
Reflecting on accusations of abusive language directed at the president, A Plus brought attention to past instances where NPP affiliates openly insulted former heads of state. He pointed out that these incidents did not result in any form of physical assault on the critics.
“There are so many people who said Atta Mills is a thief, when Mills died, John Mahama was accused, in this country called Ghana and NPP people led the conversation that Mills was killed by Mahama,” A Plus stated emphatically.
He further recalled how, on the day of Mahama’s mother’s passing, a journalist went ahead with premiering a scandal, alleging that Mahama had accepted a bribe.
“The day Mahama’s mother died, someone was premiering a Ford expedition scandal, that Mahama took a bribe. He was the president of Ghana and the journalist lived here and went about his business,” he noted.
The exposé, put forth by Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, suggested that a Burkinabe contractor had presented a Ford Expedition vehicle to then-president Mahama in exchange for certain road contracts.
However, Mahama refuted these claims, clarifying that the vehicle was directed to the embassy and incorporated into the presidential vehicle pool.
A Plus’s outrage was also linked to the broader criticism faced by the NPP following the 7th October UTV incident. The party found itself under fire, with various groups including the NDC, media houses, human rights advocates, and other civil society organisations condemning the attack.
In response to the studio invasion, police detained 16 individuals, all of whom have since been released on bail. The incident has stirred a national conversation on the limits of free speech and the unacceptable nature of resorting to violence in response to criticism, a stance vehemently supported by voices like A Plus.