The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has mounted a spirited defense for his record as a human right advocate and a believer of press freedom. The President said he cannot be accused of presiding over culture of silence when he has been and continue to be daily, the most vilified political figure in the country, presently.
“For me personally, I find it ironic that the presidency of a man who has been and continue to be daily, the most vilified political figure of this generation, can be accused of presiding over a culture of silence. It cannot be that everyone has a right of reply except members of the government and officials”, the President said at University of Cape Coast where he was honoured.
President Akufo-Addo explained that it would not be out of place for his government to correct propagandas being pushed by some people about policies and programmes that are being implemented by his government to develop the country, saying that cannot be misconstrued to mean promotion of culture of silence.
He asked “a radio station is currently running a campaign against Free SHS. Would a spirited defence of the Free SHS policy constitute an attack on press freedom? I wonder. Nor can it be that challenging of an opinion expressed by a journalist constitute an attack on press freedom”.
The President however believes that what is lacking in the society today, is the need to listen to each other more. He observed that “knowledge never be a gift granted exclusively to one group, we must listen and hear each other more”.
