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A statesman, Mr Kwame Pianim, has called for a conducive environment that allows citizens to express their feelings on issues affecting them, without fear of intimidation.

He told the Daily Graphic in an interview that freedom of expression in all forms was pertinent to a successful democracy, and that Ghana’s decision to chart that path meant that state organs must strive to promote its existence, instead of stifling it.

He said democracy was not only about a change in political administration every four years but the participation of the citizenry in the governance process through discourse and other forms of expression.

Consequently, Mr Pianim called on state institutions and people in official positions to desist from using their power to make it difficult for people to express themselves, as that was alien to the tenets of democracy and a drawback to national development.

He, however, noted that freedom of expression must be exercised in a civil, tolerant and constructive manner and aimed at galvanising the nation’s energies for accelerated development.

Context

The business executive was speaking to the paper on recent developments that border on the freedom of expression, including allegations that people find it difficult to express themselves on national issues, the perceived rise in corruption and the emergence of a social activism on the theme: ‘FixTHEcountry’.

Mr Pianim said while he could not verify the authenticity of such concerns, he was of the belief that freedom of expression in whatever form must be protected.

He said it took courage for people to express their opinions, for which reason, those who were fond of doing that should be encouraged, not discouraged.

Right to protest

Beyond freedom of expression being a right to citizens, the former Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) said it was an avenue for people to express their concerns in a manner that could defuse tension and set an agenda for national discourse.

“We should not give conditions for people to speak or a pretext for people to demonstrate. It is better for all of us, as Ghanaians, to have people on our streets demonstrating peacefully than to have them bottle up their concerns.

“And no policeman should think that he or she is doing the President or the powers that be any favour by frustrating people who want to demonstrate on our streets; he or she is not,” he said.

“The alternative to people being frustrated in their desire to go onto the streets to protest is to take arms and go onto the streets for guerilla warfare, and we do not want that in Ghana,” he added.

Listen to learn

Mr Pianim encouraged Ghanaians, especially political leaders, to nurture the habit of listening to learn, instead of listening to criticise

He said the increased criticisms on the airwaves made it difficult for many experienced people to express themselves for fear of being insulted.

“Some of us have developed a thick skin and so we do not mind, but our friends and families mind and that is the challenge we have,” he said.

Patience

Touching on the concerns of the ‘FixTHEcountry’ campaigners, the veteran economist said they must exercise patience in their demand for development.

He said it was too early in the day to demand marked development from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who was still in the process of constituting his government for the second term.

“President Akufo-Addo should be given time to run his government as he wants and to select the people he wants to help him,” he said.

He also called on Ghanaians to give of their best in their respective areas to help grow the country.

“If you want this country to glow, let everybody light up a small candle in his or her little corner and the whole country will bloom,” he said, stating that Ghana could not grow if the citizenry continued to engage in practices which they criticised in public.

Using bribery and corruption and the accumulation of ill-wealth as examples, Mr Pianim said although people criticised corruption, they were fond of giving bribe in private to facilitate their personal gains.