The Minority Leader of Parliament and MP for Effutu constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Makin, has urged Ghanaians to draw inspiration from the legacy of Dr. J. B. Danquah in defending justice and the rule of law. He made the statement while speaking at the book launch of Echoes From The Doyen J.B Danquah, written by Piesie Okyere-Darko. The event was held at The British Council Ghana.
The Honorable Member of Parliament, Afenyo-Makin further highlighted how the Preventive Detention Act of 1958 challenged the very liberties Dr. J.B. Danquah had fought for, noting that although his legal challenge to the act failed, his moral stand paved the way for future constitutional reforms. These reforms included the formal recognition of human rights and the establishment of judicial independence in Ghana’s 1966 legal framework.
He emphasized that the Danquah-Busia tradition is not about convenience but about principle, calling on political leaders to remain firm in defending the rule of law even when doing so is politically uncomfortable. Alexander Afenyo-Makin referenced the recent defense of judicial independence in matters concerning the former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo, saying institutions must be protected from undue interference.
He also made it clear that no intimidation from the opposition party can tame or silence them, stressing that those who inherit Danquah’s legacy must not be timid in defending liberty. According to Afenyo-Makin, Ghana’s democracy will endure only if there are men and women willing to speak when silence is safer and to stand when sitting is easier, just as Dr. J. B. Danquah did decades ago.
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