There’s no freedom of expression in Ashanti Region – Maurice Ampaw

Private legal practitioner, Maurice Ampaw has described the Ashanti Region as a place where freeom of expression is stifled.

According to him, residents cannot make fair and critical comments about the traditional authorities in the area without the chiefs baring their teeth at such critics.

The Kumasi Traditional Council on Monday asked the controversial lawyer to appear before them on Monday, January 29, 2024, following his outburst which sought to denigrate some chiefs in the Ashanti region.

Lawyer Ampaw who hosts a show on Accra-based Wontumi TV/Radio is said to have made derogatory remarks about chiefs in Ashanti saying “some chiefs in the Ashanti Region are corrupt and womanizers”.

Speaking to Host Bonohene Baffuor Awuah on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM Thursday, lawyer Ampaw said he stands by every word he uttered about some of the chiefs adding that he can prove his case when he is challenged.

He urged the traditional authorities in the Ashanti Region to learn to be accomodative of constructive criticism and not gag persons from speaking freely.

”….In Accra when you speak, you speak, unlike the Ashanti Region where when you speak they want to gag you. They want to sit on your fundamental human right. There’s no freedom of expression in the Ashanti Region. Don’t you think that if I were a pure media person the media fraternity will come to my aid and say that freedom of expression and opinion is being gagged. Why won’t Nananom invite me to the Media Commission or National Communications Authority?

”When somebody says something, give the person the opportunity to justify what he has said, because truth justifies everything. In the law of Defamation, when someone says you are a thief and the person has evidence, he has not disgraced you. The person only defames or disgraces you if the person has no evidence to back his or her claim.”