The opposition New Patriotic Party has formally petitioned the diplomatic community in Ghana, raising concerns over what it describes as increasing political persecution, suppression of dissent, and a gradual erosion of democratic freedoms under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
In the petition issued on May 19, 2026, the party alleged that state institutions are being deployed in a manner that targets political opponents, journalists, activists, and social media commentators who are critical of government policies and actions.
Signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong and Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin, the statement warned that Ghana’s long standing democratic credentials are under serious strain.
According to the petition, there is an emerging pattern that resembles what the party described as a “culture of silence,” where fear, intimidation, and politically influenced prosecutions are allegedly being used to suppress alternative voices and criticism of the government.
The NPP further argued that Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act are being applied in ways that effectively reintroduce elements of criminalisation of speech, despite Ghana’s repeal of criminal libel and seditious laws in 2001 under former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
The party stated that political communicators, journalists, activists, and social media users are increasingly being arrested, detained, and prosecuted for expressing opinions critical of government officials and state institutions, arguing that the state’s approach has shifted away from democratic engagement toward criminal enforcement of dissent.
The petition also referenced the arrest and prosecution of Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe Abronye DC, describing it as part of a wider pattern of politically charged legal action against opposition figures.
The NPP maintained that in a constitutional democracy, criticism of public officials, including members of the judiciary, should not be treated as criminal conduct, insisting that open scrutiny is an essential component of accountability and governance.
The party additionally accused key security and investigative institutions, including the Ghana Police Service, the Bureau of National Investigations, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office, of allegedly engaging in politically motivated arrests, intimidation tactics, and heavy handed enforcement actions.
It further described instances of what it termed “Rambo style arrests,” including midnight raids, early morning home invasions, and extended detentions under strict bail conditions, which the party claims are intended to intimidate political opponents.
Concerns were also raised about judicial independence following the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, with the party arguing that the development has contributed to a growing perception that judicial officers risk retaliation when issuing rulings perceived as unfavourable to the executive branch.
The NPP concluded by calling on diplomats, development partners, and international human rights organisations to closely monitor Ghana’s democratic environment and to publicly reaffirm support for freedom of expression, judicial independence, due process, and political pluralism within the country’s governance system.
