The Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC) has questioned the weight of importance given the United States’ report on human rights standards in Ghana against that given to the voice of activists in the country.

Professor Kwesi Aning noted that the 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the United States’ Department of States merely rehashes concerns which have been raised on several occasions by local activists thus should not be treated as a novelty.

The latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices highlight issues including; denial of fair public trial, corruption and lack of transparency in government, arbitrary deprivation of life and other unlawful or politically motivated killings.

The others are freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media and elections and political participation.

Speaking on JoyNews PM Express, Prof Aning noted that he was disappointed it has taken the US State Department’s report for these issues to become prominent in the media sphere.

According to him, this almost sends the message that the works of activists in the country are not appreciated.

“But we’ve raised these concerns before that of the United States so what is the big deal here? Every single example cited in this report. And therein lays my disappointment with the way this report is being handled.

“People have raised their voices about the way the judiciary works, about corruption, about police brutality, about the use of weapons and firearms in situations where they ought not to use, so are we saying that when Ghanaian activists raise their voices and point to the gap and weaknesses in our politics it is not important until Uncle Sam and his agents have written?

“Is that what we are saying? That when activists and those who are fighting for rule of law, the respect of human rights, accountability, transparency in the way our financial resources are used, does those voices and those struggles don’t matter?” he said.

He stated that it was about time keen attention was paid to activists in the country who have dedicated their time and energy to exposing rot and corruption in the various spheres of the country.

 “My argument is that they do matter, and that we need to place more emphasis on internal struggle and make these external reportage ancillary to what is happening here; because no one is going to bring improvement or changes apart from the people of Ghana themselves.

“And I think we need to recognize those who are placing their lives on the line, those who are being brutalized for whatever reason and recognize those struggles,” he said.

2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the United States Department of State.