We have to stay at the forefront and expand the frontiers of freedom – Kofi Bentil

Kofi Bentil, a senior lawyer and Vice-President of IMANI Africa, has cautioned Ghanaians to remain vigilant in safeguarding democratic freedoms. He emphasized that citizens should not wait for their rights to be eroded before taking action. "For me, I am not waiting for all of our democracy to be removed from under our feet and for us to fall down before we rise up," he said.

"So we always have to make sure that we are staying at the forefront and ensure that we expand the frontiers of freedom." The comments came after the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s "Democracy Under Attack" demonstration in Accra, which saw thousands of NPP members and supporters protest alleged threats to Ghana's democracy and the weakening of key state institutions under the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Bentil acknowledged arguments on both sides of the debate over selective justice, suggesting that the final verdict would be based on the government's record during its four-year term. He noted that two years had already elapsed, allowing citizens to begin evaluating the administration's performance. Bentil argued that the perception of selective justice in prosecuting opposition members and freeing party officials provided evidence for this claim.

However, he warned against reacting only after democratic institutions have been significantly weakened, emphasizing that the willingness of citizens to challenge authority is a crucial safeguard against the concentration of political power.