Ghanaian spokesperson urges religious and traditional leaders to defend democratic freedoms

Yaw Opoku Mensah, spokesperson for former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has called upon the Christian Council of Ghana and the National House of Chiefs to address the perceived erosion of democratic freedoms in Ghana.

Mensah argued that these institutions serve as the nation’s moral conscience and have a responsibility to speak out when citizens’ rights are threatened. He specifically expressed concern regarding the government’s use of arrests against dissenting voices, suggesting such actions jeopardize democratic protections.

Addressing the silence of these religious and traditional bodies, Mensah stated, “Silence cannot always be called neutrality. Sometimes, silence is a betrayal.” He questioned whether a fear of political bias prevents these institutions from holding the government accountable, emphasizing that human rights belong to the Ghanaian people rather than any specific political party.