NewzAspiring National Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has cautioned the government against actions that could undermine democratic freedoms, particularly the right of citizens to freely express their views. According to him, one of the most important safeguards of democracy is the ability of citizens to protest, criticise those in power and demand accountability without fear of intimidation. Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday on the recent ‘Democracy Under Attack demonstration, Mr Aboagye described protests as a powerful tool that can help governments break out of what he called a “bubble” created by the trappings of political power.
“Sometimes when you are in government, and we will be in there, you find yourself in a bubble. If you don’t take care, you will see things only as they appear to you where you are,” he said. He explained that demonstrations and public dissent can serve as a reality check for governments by exposing concerns that may not be visible from within government.
“Protest sometimes pokes this bubble, bursts it, and then you feel a certain new air, and you decide what to do,” he added. Mr Aboagye said governments often find it easy to justify their decisions while in power, but warned that such approaches are rarely sustainable when they fail to respond to legitimate public concerns. He, however, said the broader democratic implications of the demonstration should receive greater attention than the immediate political disagreements surrounding it.
According to him, the arrest and prosecution of citizens over comments made on social media raise serious questions about the state of freedom of expression in Ghana. Using the case of a woman who allegedly expressed her views on TikTok, Mr Aboagye said the incident demonstrates how ordinary citizens are increasingly using digital platforms to participate in democratic discourse. He noted that many citizens do not have access to mainstream media platforms such as Newsfile, Asɛmpa or Joy FM, making social media their primary avenue for expressing their views on national issues.
5 a.m., her room is broken into by security services. She is put into an Elx vehicle, drove on the road for eight hours to Accra, sent to a court, and she is remanded for two weeks,” he said. He questioned the justification for…
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aspiring National Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has cautioned the government against what he describes as the weaponisation of the law against ordinary citizens, particularly in cases involving freedom of speech and social media activity. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 8, Mr Aboagye said the government should not use arrests and prosecutions as a substitute for civic education, especially when dealing with citizens who may not fully understand the limits of their right to free expression. “What I think the government can do is to rather activate state institutions like NCCE to begin to educate these people and tell them, listen, yes, there is free speech,” he said.
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