Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says Sir Sam Jonah’s allegations of an imminent revival of the Ghanaian culture of silence should not be ignored or debunked.
Before coming to a decision, he believes the argument should be thoroughly investigated and perhaps proof tested.
In an exclusive interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View, the former President said that he thinks Sam Jonah’s statement is focused on his experiences and pedigree, and that such statements should be taken seriously.
“I am in no place to claim what they are saying is baseless because they have their own perspectives. “For a man like Sam to talk in the manner in which you have quoted him means that he has some evidence,” Kufuor said.
Sir Sam Jonah, a statesman, said on April 22, 2021, during a public lecture with Rotarians in Accra titled “Down the Up Escalator: Reflections on Ghana’s Future by a Senior Citizen,” that the culture of silence was increasingly creeping into the country by ease, hypocrisy, and parochialism.
“It looks to me that the bravery to stand up for the facts and the resolve to defend the common good has been lacking in modern times in our Fourth Republican dispensation. It is worrying that the voices of scholars are fading into oblivion in our country’s darkest hours. Unfortunately, it is a result of our country’s extreme partisan polarization, which means that everything is seen through the prism of politics.”
“It occurs to me that the silence society has reappeared. This time, ease, parochialism, hypocrisy, and a lack of belief prevailed over legal and military influence. He said, “Where are our Adu Boahens and PV Ansahs?”
Following that remark, several people have shared opposing viewpoints, with some even questioning his argument.
Former President John Kufuor, on the other hand, argues that Sam Jonah’s remark should be taken into account.
“They claim liberation isn’t given to you on a silver platter; you have to work for it. This is one of the media’s functions: to dare to speak out of the public interest… Sam [Jonah] has said that, and Sam is a very responsible and respected community member. I’d like to emphasize that it should not be taken lightly. He may be campaigning [for] something, and I’m not going to argue with him. Simply put, once you allege anything, you must show it. You don’t blame anything on the government,” Kufuor said.
SOURCE: ATLFMONLINE
