General News of Friday, 28 June 2019

Source: ghanaguardian.com

Learn to respect Akufo-Addo or risk going to jail - Irbard chides Manasseh

Security analyst, Ibrahim Irbard play videoSecurity analyst, Ibrahim Irbard

Self-styled security analyst, Ibrahim Irbard has chided investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni to begin to show some respect to the first gentleman of the land, Nana Akufo-Addo or risk going to jail.

According to Irbard, although freedom of speech is good in the democratisation process of Africa, one cannot exploit freedom of expression to use unsavoury words on heads of states.

It would be recalled that Manasseh Azure, in a recent article, labelled President Akufo-Addo as “idiot” for funding his much-touted Free SHS Policy from the state coffers.

In his justification, Manasseh indicated “I wrote an article in which I said any idiot could use our money to build infrastructure and boast about that. I did not see what Mahama had done as exceptional. In the same way, any idiot can use our money to pay school fees for SHS students. One does not need to be a genius to do that.”

Reacting to the insults, however, Ibrahim Irbard cautioned the Joynews' journalist to be wary of his actions since according to him, a jail term could be slashed on him.

“Manasseh Azure Awuni should learn to respect the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo or risk jail-time. Freedom of expression has limits and doesn't warrant insults”, he wrote on Facebook.

Irbard further cautioned Manasseh to look for any appropriate means to render an unqualified apology to the President and all the leaders he has long insulted since according to him “there's a limit to how we can describe our leaders”.

“...on this score, I think my brother from another mother went overboard. So the right thing to do now is come out and apologise”, he said in portions contained in a lengthy video.

Watch the full video below: