This morning, Ghana awoke to a disturbing reality. Alfred Ababio Kumi, a respected citizen and former parliamentary aspirant for Adenta, was arrested by National Security agents—not for breaking the law, not for inciting violence, but for simply exercising his constitutional right to petition the President of the Republic.
Mr. Kumi’s “crime”? He dared to question a process. He stood up in defense of our judiciary. He wrote a petition, a peaceful, lawful, and democratic means of engagement, asking President Mahama to dissolve what he believes is an unconstitutional committee probing the Chief Justice. For this, he has been silenced with handcuffs.
This is not just about Kumi. This is about us all. This is about the soul of our democracy.
In our Fourth Republic, we have prided ourselves on constitutionalism, rule of law, and the right of every Ghanaian to speak truth to power. We have matured as a nation, surviving political transitions, economic turbulence, and difficult reforms—but never have we tolerated tyranny. Today, that sacred tolerance is under siege.
We must all rise.
We call on the Ghanaian media—those who serve as the guardians of truth and the voice of the voiceless—to break the silence. The duty of journalists is not to amplify the powerful but to protect the powerless. Kumi is one of us. And if he can be arrested today for a petition, who will be next?
We appeal to Civil Society Organizations—IMANI, CDD-Ghana, GII, and others—to treat this not as a footnote, but a front-line assault on civil liberties. Let no precedent be set where the state treats petitions as treason and voices of dissent as enemies of the state.
To the Catholic Bishops Conference, Christian Council of Ghana, and the Church of Pentecost—you have, time and again, stood on the side of justice and spoken when others went silent. We ask you now to speak again. This is not politics. This is principle. Ghana needs your moral leadership.
To our revered former Chief Justices—your silence at this moment may be mistaken as consent. You know more than anyone what it means when the sanctity of the judiciary is compromised and when those who rise to defend it are punished. Your wisdom, your voice, and your courage are needed now.
To the ordinary Ghanaian, this is your fight too. Our democracy is not a spectator sport. When we allow intimidation to go unchecked, we leave ourselves vulnerable to a future of fear, not freedom.
President Mahama must reminded that he was elected by the people, for the people—not to rule, but to serve. The overwhelming support he received in the last election does not give him and his government a blank cheque to trample on our rights. In fact, that support demands humility, accountability, and unwavering respect for our Constitution.
Let it be known: Ghana will not be bullied into silence.
A message must be sent across the nation—that this land still belongs to the brave, to the just, and to every citizen who chooses conscience over convenience.
Today, we must decide: Will we be spectators in our own democracy, or will we defend it with the courage it deserves?
Let the people speak. Let justice prevail. Let Ghana rise.
By Stephen Forson
( A scared citizen of Ghana)
