AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SUPREME COURT: You are the salt of Ghana – Nii Amu Darko
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” — Matthew 5:13.
I understand the EC is being taken to the Supreme Court today. Isn’t this the 8th election in the 4th Republic? Are we progressing or retrogressing? Are we maturing or de-maturing?
Read also — Ghana: NDC officially declares intention to contest 2020 elections in court
I can never support Nana or John, but I am not Ghana. Ghanaians have voted and their will must be respected. This is my only interest in the case.
If I were the President and LOVER-IN-CHIEF of Ghana, this will never go to Court. I will form a 10 – member committee: 3 MPs from my party, 3 MPs from the opposition, IGP, Government Statistician, Expert Forensic Auditor, and a Supreme Court Judge as Chair. Let all the complaints be heard and investigated. If I lose, I concede and proceed to retirement. But I am not the President, am I?
Governments lose power. Oppositions do not win power. No performing government should struggle to retain power.
I am at pains to write this article, but I think our country is at a point where somebody must say something directly to the Supreme Court. The SC has made certain worrying judgments in recent months, but none appears so troubling as the case between Dynamic Youth Movement vs Ken Ofori-Atta. Yesterday (December29, 2020), my lawyer friend sent me one Osman Alhassan’s comment on the case. I was alarmed. It is a very lengthy write-up. I will comment only on the concluding paragraph.
Click to read other pieces by this author
‘’It is my humble opinion that such an attitude from the Chief Justice, coupled with the predictable trend that judgments from the Court in cases involving the current government or its officials are taking, keeps eroding the little confidence that is left in Ghanaians for the judiciary. The Chief Justice and other members of the judiciary MUST remember that one of the NECESSARY outcomes of that attitude is for the citizens to take the law into their own hands and that may not be safe even for the judiciary.’’
Osman, you have said it so mildly. If the General friends of Kutu, could de-rank, re-civilianize, and take away all his military honors, then people should be careful. If the Vatican can defrock Cardinals and Medical Boards can decertify doctors, then those playing with the WILL of the people must know what will happen to them when they force the people to take the law into their hands. This is serious stuff.
I do not know the reliefs the plaintiff is seeking from the Court so I cannot comment on specifics, but we will be listening and watching. Two things are very clear to me.
- 1. Our national anthem does not represent our aspirations only, it is also our war cry. It asks God to help us to resist oppressors’ rule with all our will and might forevermore. The anthem anticipated the rise of oppressors along the line and it called on us patriots to resist them wherever they come from.
- 2. When salt loses its saltiness, it is thrown away and men trample on it. I pray the Supreme Court does what it is supposed to do – the salt of fairness and justice. If it fails in its duty, it stands the risk of being trampled upon. That is the divine rule. I did not say it.
Tswa omanye aba.
Written by Dr. Nii Amu Darko
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
