Running mate to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has taken a jibe at the Akufo-Addo government for attempting to gag the citizenry.

During a working visit at Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on Wednesday, Prof Opoku Agyemang bemoaned the frequent attacks on journalists and facilitators of free speech.

She noted that stifling free speech could be a recipe for disaster since the electorates could be forced to express themselves through violent means.

“Freedom of Speech is the basis of everything and after 28 years of our constitution, Freedom of Speech shouldn’t be something that is in our current discourse because it is something that should have been normal by now.

“It begins with us in power, in the sense that someone has invested in you the power and the person’s expectation is for you to empower the powerless and you are not going to do it by killing, using filthy language or harassing them but you will do it by responding to the real needs of the person,” she stated.

Prof Opoku Agyemang added, “I think that part also needs to be included in our dialogue so that all these arrogance and so forth will go down. If you don’t want to serve don’t come because I do not see any compulsion on anybody to go and ask for a vote."

Stressing on the importance of the media, the running mate said, the media practitioners are to serve as the voice for the citizens and demand accountability from government.

“I do not think it is for nothing that in this country the media is seen as a fourth estate. No other profession has that title and it is for good reasons being that you share information and giving the public the mandate to make their own conclusion.

She then commended the MFWA for their outstanding contribution to resist any attempt by the government to suppress the media from operating fully.

“I want to urge you to continue doing the work you do. And do it well and we pledge our support,” she stated.