Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, aka Kwaku Azar, has taken a swipe at Elizabeth Ohene for criticizing the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Ghana on their recent unity against the government’s corruption scandals.

Ohene, a veteran journalist and writer in her latest article published by graphic.com.gh indicated that the CSOs are currently very busy doing what they do best, “which is to point out what the government is doing wrong”.

She added: “Since that is their self-appointed role, I wouldn’t feel the need to comment but for the persistent fact that the CSOs appear to think that any criticism directed at them means one is against them.”

She, however, indicated that she could not understand why it was okay for CSOs to point out what they believed to be wrong, “and yet, someone pointing out what they might have gotten wrong is supposed to mean you don’t want them to exist”.

Elizabeth Ohene wrote: “These groups have strong opinions and express them in colourful language. I like that. They claim to love Ghana far more than anybody else and definitely more than anybody in politics. I have problems with that. They claim to be honest, hardworking and effective and they have answers to every problem. They are mistaken.”

She continued: “They say they are not party political, and they are openly disdainful towards those in politics, especially those in government. It is sometimes difficult to discern that they believe anyone apart from them serves Ghana or has good intentions towards Ghana.”

But Prof. Kwaku Asare has replied that the posture of the former Editor and Minister is standing in the way of people with genuine concerns regarding some policies and decisions of the government.

In a post on his Facebook Timeline on Wednesday, Prof. Asare said: “CSOs and NGOs have made no claims to loving Ghana far more than anybody else and definitely [not] more than anybody in politics, as my auntie [in reference to Ohene] alleges. They simply raise questions about government policies that they consider problematic. CSOs and NGOs have not claimed to have answers to every problem merely by asking questions that [the] government would rather are not asked. So, I am not ad idem with my auntie on that allegation that she made.”

He added: “CSOs and NGOs are not openly disdainful towards those in politics or in government, as claimed by my auntie. They are disdainful of those who misappropriate their positions to convert state resources, as they should be.”

“If NGOs and CSOs operate on the principle that governments are corrupt, they do so not because they want to. They do so, auntie Elizabeth, because that is the empirical reality, which is also the reason why those who framed the Constitution emphasized the role of the citizenry and the media in ensuring accountability.”

Prof Asare stated that the basis of the term ‘separation of powers and checks and balances’ is as a result of government chicanery. And that attacking those who choose to be active citizens by those connected to power is hardly new. “All governments encourage it and oil a machine to do it for them. It is an attempt to divert attention from those who are entrusted to govern, to citizens who are merely asking questions."
He then advised Madam Elizabeth Ohene not to caricature CSOs and NGOs as “all-knowing” organizations, as the people did to my auntie merely because of her editorial asking people to speak truth to power!!

“It did not break the will of my auntie during the military days and it should not and would not break the focus of CSO, NGO, free media and active citizens now, tomorrow or decades from now.”