The Executive Director of Imani Center for Policy and Education has taken a swipe at the British Council for turning down a request by the Danquah Institute (DI) to use a conference facility belonging to the council for an intellectual symposium on the election petition.

In a post on his facebook wall, Mr. Franklin Cudjoe said the reasons for the refusal to allow the DI have access to the conference hall by the British Council, is “most unfortunate”.

According to him, “Yes, the Danquah Institute is a political think tank. We all know that like all political think tanks around the world, they have their biases and are free to hold their beliefs. When was the last time you heard the Danquah Institute organising a demonstration or organising mobs to disturb the peace, for the most unfortunate and quite frankly silly email from the British Council in response to a DI request to use the conference facility for an intellectual symposium on the election petition?”

Mr. Cudjoe was of the view that selection of the venue by the Danquah Institute indicates that British Council is held in high esteem by the political think tank.

The program according to him “is a simple and educative” one from which “all the staff of the British Council including the British High Commissioner himself was going to learn from.

“I have seen the list of speakers, and this reason for denial is most unfortunate,” The IMANI boss asserted.

Mr. Franklin Cudjoe made his thoughts on the matter known after the DI received an e-mail rejecting the request to use British Council’s auditorium for a symposium on Monday, September 16, 2013.

In a letter signed by Anita Odei – Osafo, Corporate Affairs Officer at the British Council in Accra, stating the Council’s inability to offer the Danquah Institute the use of the auditorium due to the fact that the Council’s facility rental policy does not “...permit politically-suggestive activity on the premises at any time. British Council reserves the right to cancel immediately any hire that breaches this regulation.”

Nonetheless, Mr. Cudjoe of IMANI opined that the excuses being preferred by the British Council are “most unfortunate” and further called on all those who “believe this is an infraction and offensive to our sensibilities and an affront on the freedom of speech and association, say "shame unto you British Council".

Below is Franklin Cudjoe’s post on facebook and the letter rejecting the DI’s request

“Yes, the Danquah Institute is a political think tank. we all know that. Like all political think tanks around the world, they have their biases and are free to hold their beliefs. When was the last time you heard the Daquah Institute organising a demonstration or organising mobs to disturb the peace for the most unfortunate and quite frankly silly email from the British Council in response to a DI request to use the conference facility for an intellectual symposium on the Election Petition? In fact, DI's choosing of the British Council meant that they hold it in high esteem and will not tarnish its image. It was a simple educative programme I believe all the staff of the British Council including the Birtish High Commissioner himself was going to learn from. I have seen the list of speakers and this reason for denial is most unfortunate. If you believe this is an infraction and offensive to our sensibilities and an affront on the freedom of speech and association, say "shame unto you British Council". And have them rescind this very ugly decision.

British Council which hosted Prof Adu Boahen's Culture of Silence lecture under PNDC today refuses to host DI's symposium on the Election Petition”.

Read below: From: Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 17:44:35 +0000 To: Subject: RE: Danquah Institute Use of Facility Dear Eugene,

Following your request to use British Council’s auditorium for a symposium on Monday, September 16, 2013, we regret to inform you, we are unable to offer you the use of our premises for the following reasons;

Our facility rental policy states we do not, “… permit politically-suggestive activity on the premises at any time. British Council reserves the right to cancel immediately any hire that breaches this regulation.”

We are sorry for this disappointing news and hope you are able to find a more suitable venue in time for your event.

Kind regards Anita Anita Odei - Osafo |Corporate Affairs Officer| |British Council | Accra|