SONA 2020: Asiedu Nketia justifies Minority’s boycott

General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the Minority in Parliament walked out ahead of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) to protest how Ghana’s democracy is being destroyed.

According to him, the security of the upcoming general elections is troubling and the Minority’s protest was to drum home the point.

“The doors of free and fair elections are gradually been shut in the country, so our democracy is in peril and that is why they [Minority] didn’t participate. Elections have to do with election security, there is a whole issue about security of elections in this country,” he explained.

The Minority on Thursday staged ahead of the President’s SONA in fulfillment of its earlier promise to boycott the 2020 State of the Nation Address.

Clad in black attires, the Parliamentarians of the opposition walked out right after the National Anthem was sung leaving behind placards and one read, ”Why the rush for a new register, Nana Addo.”

The General Secretary also expressed worry about the frequent shutdown of media houses affiliated to the NDC.

He was of the view that the action is an orchestrated act to clamp down on avenues citizens can use to demand accountability from government.

“Democracy is about freedom of speech, and here we have a government shutting down all media houses that are perceived to be against the sitting government.

“So what type of democracy would you have where a door for EC to conduct proper elections based on consensus is being shut, to have the security of the election being compromised and the right to speak is also being shut?” he quizzed.

He saw the boycott as a right move since the opposition cannot clap for a President who is shutting down all doors of accountability.

“Our National anthem urges us to resist the oppressor’s rule [so that is what Minority demonstrated],” he said.