Former Vice President and 2028 Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed concern over the arrest and remand of a Techiman-based nurse, warning that the circumstances surrounding the case raise questions about fundamental rights and freedoms in Ghana.
In a social media post on Friday, September 18, Bawumia questioned the reported decision by national intelligence officers to arrest the nurse in the middle of the night and subsequently have her remanded for two weeks.
He said intelligence agencies should not be used to pursue citizens over alleged insults directed at the President or other public figures.
The nurse, Salomey, has reportedly been linked to the anonymous “Ghana Jollof” social media account. Meanwhile, London-based Ghanaian nurse Barbara Asantewaa Kodua was later declared wanted after authorities allegedly identified her as the account’s operator.
While condemning abusive political discourse, Bawumia said respect and free expression should coexist in Ghana’s democracy.
He also criticised what he described as the selective enforcement of laws, arguing that citizens accused of similar conduct should be treated equally regardless of who is the subject of the alleged remarks.
According to Bawumia, restrictions on free speech, even when the speech is considered offensive, risk undermining democratic freedoms and moving the country away from the Ghana he believes citizens want to build.
