Prof Prempeh Eulogizes Akoto Ampaw for Advocating Free Speech and Civic Engagement in Ghana

ACCRA: Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has paid tribute to the late Anthony Akoto Ampaw, a distinguished private legal practitioner, for his unwavering commitment to the service of Ghana. Akoto Ampaw, known for his advocacy of free speech and media freedom, was instrumental in leading protests during pivotal moments in the nation's history. According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Prempeh delivered his homage during the Friends of Akoto Ampaw First Anniversary Public Lecture at the Kwame Nkrumah Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra. The event, themed 'The Crisis of Civic Citizenship in Contemporary Ghanaian Democracy: Lessons from the Life and Times of the Late Akoto Ampaw,' was organized by Friends of Akoto Ampaw in collaboration with CCD-Ghana, the Kwame Nkrumah Institute of African Studies, and Channel One TV. Akoto Ampaw, affectionately known as Sheey Sheey, passed away on October 20, 2023, at the age of 73. In the late 1980s, Akoto Ampaw co-founded the Movement for Freedom and Justice (MFJ) alongside notable figures such as Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr and Prof Kwame Karikari, aiming to restore constitutional rule to Ghana. His activism resulted in two periods of political detention under Rawlings' Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) in 1986 and 1987, experiences he described as emblematic of dictatorship. Prof Prempeh emphasized the impact of civic engagement on democratic quality, citing former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's assertion that organized public pressure can influence leadership. He noted that while Ghanaians exhibit high voter turnout, other forms of civic participation, such as protests, remain low. Research indicates a modest rise in protest participation from 4% in 2012 to 5% in 2022, with a peak of 15% in 2019. Highlighting Akoto Ampaw's legacy, Prof Prempeh urged citizens to utilize various forms of civic engagement beyond voting, as Akoto Ampaw did throughout his life. He remarked on Akoto Ampaw's public interest focus, even within the commercial legal sector. Professor Kwame Karikari, a former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), also criticized Ghana's major political parties for their inadequate response to illegal mining, prioritizing electoral gains over environmental issues.