The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has formally lodged a petition with Ghana’s diplomatic community, raising alarm over what it describes as a systematic campaign of political persecution under the administration of President John Mahama. In a detailed statement issued in Accra, the opposition party accused the government of suppressing dissent, undermining democratic institutions, and weaponising state institutions to silence critics, journalists, and political opponents.
The NPP’s concerns stem from a growing pattern of arrests, prosecutions, and intimidation against individuals who express dissenting views. The party warns that this erosion of free expression threatens Ghana’s long-standing reputation as a stable and democratic nation, risking its global standing as a beacon of governance in West Africa.
Criminalisation of Free Speech and Selective Justice
A central focus of the petition is the alleged criminalisation of free speech, with the NPP citing specific cases where individuals have faced severe legal consequences for exercising their constitutional rights.
One prominent example is Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC), the party’s Regional Chairman for the Ashanti Region, who was arrested and charged following comments deemed critical of a judge. The NPP argues that his denial of bail and subsequent prosecution violate Ghana’s legal protections and set a dangerous precedent for political dissent.
The party also reiterated concerns over the repeal of criminal libel laws in 2001 under former President John Agyekum Kufuor, a reform that was hailed as a landmark victory for press freedom. However, the NPP claims the current administration has undermined these gains by abusing legal mechanisms to penalise critics, effectively reintroducing censorship under different pretexts.
State Security Agencies Used for Political Purposes
The NPP’s petition further accuses state security agencies—including the police and intelligence services—of being deployed for partisan purposes. Opposition figures, the party states, are often arrested through high-profile operations and detained under harsh conditions, while those aligned with the ruling government face little to no accountability for comparable actions.
The party highlights selective enforcement of the law, arguing that while its members are swiftly investigated and prosecuted, individuals linked to the government rarely face consequences for similar offences. This double standard, the NPP warns, undermines public trust in justice and reinforces perceptions of political bias within law enforcement.
Judicial Independence Under Threat
Another critical concern raised is the impact of judicial reforms on Ghana’s democratic institutions. The NPP points to the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo as a significant blow to judicial independence, contributing to fears that judges may face political pressure when handling sensitive cases.
The party argues that this perception of judicial subservience risks eroding public confidence in the rule of law, a cornerstone of Ghana’s democratic governance. Without an independent judiciary, the NPP warns, the government’s ability to fairly adjudicate political disputes is compromised, further deepening the culture of impunity for state actors.
Call for International Intervention
In light of these allegations, the NPP has urged the diplomatic community, development partners, and human rights organisations to closely monitor Ghana’s political climate. The party is seeking public condemnation of political persecution, defence of free speech, and engagement with the government to address what it describes as the misuse of legal frameworks to suppress dissent.
The NPP’s petition underscores a broader trend of democratic backsliding, warning that unless urgent action is taken, Ghana’s hard-won democratic gains could be irreversibly damaged. The opposition party is calling for international scrutiny to ensure accountability and restore the principles of fairness, transparency, and rule of law that have historically defined Ghana’s political landscape.