In a democracy worthy of its name, the rule of law must remain unshaken by the weight of party colour. And yet, today, Ghana finds itself again at the mercy of performative defiance—this time outside the offices of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), where a crowd of ruling party loyalists threatened to strip naked unless Abdul-Wahab Hanan, the former CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, is released.
Arrested over alleged financial misconduct, Hanan remains in EOCO custody despite reports that he has met bail conditions. Rather than champion transparency and await due process, some supporters have chosen to disrobe their dignity—literally—in the name of political solidarity.
This moment exposes a troubling civic fault line: the conflation of partisanship with justice. When citizens rally not to demand accountability, but to obstruct it, we must pause and ask: Where is our national conscience?
Justice is not a jersey
Justice, by its nature, is blind—to tribe, wealth, and political affiliation. But what we witnessed today was not justice—it was a campaign rally masquerading as protest. It signals a deeper malaise: that for many, allegiance to party outweighs duty to truth.
If EOCO is overreaching, the courts—not a chorus of bare-chested threats—are the rightful place for redress. But if there are grounds for investigation, then let the process unfold, unimpeded.
Protest should call for principles, not perks
Let us be clear: protest is a sacred right in any democracy. But when it is marshaled to protect the powerful from scrutiny rather than the powerless from abuse, it loses its moral force.
The real protest Ghana needs is one that demands:
Asset declaration before office becomes looting ground Procurement processes that aren’t veiled in secrecy Equitable justice—whether you drive a Prado or push a wheelbarrow
A moment to teach, not retreat
This is not merely a political incident. It’s a teachable moment—for citizens, for the youth watching, and for institutions under pressure.
What we choose to normalize today sets the standard for tomorrow. Will we normalize the use of theatrics to pressure institutions? Or will we reinvest in civic integrity and demand accountability, even when it stings?
Ghana doesn’t need naked loyalty. It needs clothed conscience. And that, dear citizen, begins with each of us.
Retired Senior Citizen
Teshie-Nungua
[email protected]
