The New Patriotic Party has formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, over what it describes as state-sponsored harassment of political opponents and the return of the culture of silence.

According to a statement shared by the leadership of the party on September 23, the NPP said the petition was meant to draw attention to the increasing spate of state-sponsored harassment of political opponents, particularly members of the party, culminating in the gradual return of the dreaded culture of silence.

Below are the concerns raised in the petition by the NPP:

"Since the assumption of office of the John Mahama administration on January 7, 2025, the nation’s traditional and social media space has been replete with stories of politically motivated harassments and intimidation of members of the opposition as well as the suppressing of dissenting voices in the country including journalists and social media activists who are critical of the government."

"Regrettably, these acts of intimidation and harassment are being carried out by the police and other security agencies who are working under the instruction of the NDC government. In other words, the John Mahama administration has become extremely intolerant of dissent and is bent on using state institutions including the Judiciary, National Security, EOCO, NIB, and the police to clamp down on all critical voices in the country. Ghana is witnessing a gradual return of the dreadedculture of silence and the era of criminal libel despite the repeal of the criminal libel law, which signaled the nation’s bold declaration in decriminalizing speech."

"This development is not only disturbing but also represents a monumental betrayal of the very democratic principles upon which Ghana was founded. State institutions are being weaponized not in the fight against galamsey or to fight the growing insecurity situation in parts of the country such as Bawku, Gbeniyiri, Nkwanta, etc.Rather, these institutions of State are being used to settle personal scores, intimidate and harass political opponents and clamp down on free speech."

"Today, the police and national security operatives are more interested in arresting and persecuting social media activists such as “Facebookers” and “Tiktokers” for allegedly insulting public officials and making or posting disparaging remarks about government officials than fighting insecurity in the country. Even in the so-called application of the law, the police are being selective, arresting only perceived members of the NPP whilst pretending not to see nor hear members of the NDC who engage in similar or worse conduct."

"We make mention of the unlawful arrest and detention of an NPP social media activist by name, Daniel Adomako alias “Sir-Obama Pokuase” whom the police, in a statement, claimed, was to assist them investigate a matter following a post he made on his Facebook page. How do you arrest and detain somebody you claim is assisting you in an investigation? We have also witnessed the arrest of veteran journalist Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, alongside Agyenkwaa Nana Kofi Asare(Journalist, Wontumi TV), Gordon Asare Bediako ((Journalist, Wontumi TV), Alfred Ababio (Adenta Kumi), Mohammed Amadou Zakou and several pro-opposition TikTokers, including FanteComedy, Yayra Adiw (North Tongu NPP Women Organizer), Priscilla Duah Birago, and Charity Dede Tetteh (who were arrested at Nhyiaso, Kumasi and were transferred to Accra and detained for 96 hours before being arraigned before court), among others."

"The most striking example is the recent Rambo-style arrest and detention of the Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kwame Baffoe ‘Abronye’ by the police for allegedly insulting and making false claims against the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohunu. Meanwhile, the law is that, if any Ghanaian, including the IGP feels defamed or falsely accused, his remedy in law is by way of civil suitsuch as defamation and not criminal prosecution. An IGP should not be abusing his office to settle personal scores with the very people he is supposed to protect."

"Criminalization of speech has no place in a democracy, and certainly not when this country went through the painstaking process of repealing the criminal and seditious libel law in 2001. We cannot take one step forward and two steps backwards."

"Beyond the increasing criminalization of speech and clamping down on dissent, we are witnessing series of state-sponsored thuggery in the forms of midnight or dawn-raids of the residences of some of the immediate past government officials including the former governor of the Bank of Ghana and former Finance Minister by supposed operatives of National Security and the National Investigative Bureau(BNI) someof whom engage in theft when they embark on these raids at the homes of the former government officials."

"Even more concerning is the consistent flouting by the Security Agencies of the Constitution of Ghana particularly Article 14 on the grant of bail to persons arrested or detained. The Constitution requires that such persons be brought before court within 48 hours or be released either unconditionally or upon reasonable conditions as may be necessary to ensure they appear at a later date for trial. Thus, an accused person who is not tried within reasonable time is entitled to bail irrespective of the nature of the offense."

"But today, NPP members who are arrested are being detained for over 48 hours in flagrant disregard of their human rights. When the lawyers for these accused persons request for bail from the security agencies, they are slapped with onerous bail conditions that are virtually impracticable to meet, effectively denying them bail as in the case of our Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Womtumi),and former Buffer Stock CEO, Mr. Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba and his wife who were slapped with GH¢ 50 million and GH¢ 80 million bail conditions respectively. Similar treatment has been meted out to others beyond the NPP, including Mr. Percival Kofi Akpaloo, leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana, and Mr. Charles Nii Armah (Shatta Wale), both of whom were subjected to bail conditions of GH¢10million."

"Furthermore, it is imperative to highlight the cases involving Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta and Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which depict a classic example of political persecution. In addition, this same OSP also arrested ace journalist, Mr. Paul Adom-Otchere under very bizarre circumstances. These instances collectively underscore the abuse of power and the weaponization of state agencies to intimidate and harass political opponents."

"Meanwhile, the law in Ghana per Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offenses Procedure Act, (Act 30) and the Supreme Court decision in Okoe v The Republic; Martin Kpebu v AG (No.2); as well as the Frank Benneh case, is that bail should not be withheld merely as a punishment and that bail conditions must not be unreasonable or onerous so as to amount to constructive refusal to grant it. This is anchored on the constitutional principle enshrined in Article 19(2)(c) that a personaccused of committing an offense shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, under this John Mahama administration, such persons are rather presumed guilty until they prove their innocence. We say this playout during the arrest of Chairman Wontumi, Adu Boahen, Abdul Wahab Hannan and many others who are perceived to be members of the NPP."

"The Judiciary which is supposed to be the last vanguard of rule of law has also, sadly, been captured by the Executive particularly after the unlawful removal of the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Araba Torkonoo. Judges fear to dispense justice according to the law because they fear that they may also suffer the same fate as Justice Torkonoo. Judges are now telling us that we are all not equal before the law and are quoting dictators like Idi Amin of Uganda to justify the unlawful detention of citizens in a democracy. How pathetic!"

"There is a Ghana for NDC members and there is another Ghana for members of the opposition. In the NDC Ghana, when the police effect arrests, nobody gets to see the suspects being arrested; the suspects are not handcuffed; the suspects are not remanded; the suspects are granted bail by the police within 24 hours. But, in the NPP Ghana, persons accused of committing even misdemeanor offenses, arearrested in Rambo-style, bundled up into police vehicles like notorious international terrorists. They are presumed guilty until they prove their innocence. When they appeal for bail, they are slapped with unreasonable bail conditions in order to keep them in detention even before they are tried."

"It would be recalled that we formally petitioned the Ghana police through the IGP on 3rd September with a complaint of criminal conduct by National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Awudu Sofo Azorka alias Chairman Azorka and the NDC’s Constituency Communications Officer for Abuakwa North, Abdul Wahab Amadu, against officers of the NPP including Members of Parliament during the Akwatia by-election held on Tuesday, 2nd September, 2025. They physically assaulted the NPP 3rd National Vice Chairmanand threatened the lives of the Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin; the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh and the NPP National Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye. Till date, the police are yet to take any decisive action on our petition despite the incontrovertible evidence we submitted to them."

OUR DEMANDS:1) President Mahama and the NDC government should put an immediate stop to the ongoing political harassment and persecution of our members.

2) There should be an immediate stop on the continuous criminalization of speech,attacks on press freedom and the suppressing of dissenting voices in the country.

The intimidation and victimization of journalists and social media activists such as ‘facebookers’ and ‘tiktoker’ who are critical of the government must end now.

3) The police should act on our petition and provide an update on the so-called arrest of Chairman Azorka including details of his charges, bail conditions, and the date of court hearings.

4) We demand that the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies immediately put an end to the Rambo styled midnight arrests of opposition members.

5) We call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the NDC Constituency Communications Officer for Abuakwa North, Abdul Wahab Amadu, for threatening the lives of our leaders.

6) We demand immediate cessation of the continuous weaponization of state institutions against perceived political opponents of the government

7) We call on the judiciary to rise to the occasion as the true vanguard of the rule of law. The fundamental law of Ghana provides that all citizens are equal before the law and must be treated fairly. The equality before the law principle applies in full force whether you are an IGP or an Abronye and we expect our judges to be bold and stand up against Executive interference in dispensing justice.

8) We call on all peace-loving Ghanaians and defenders of democracy, particularly CSOs, the media, as well as traditional and religious leaders, to join us in fighting this growing state-sponsored tyranny and political persecution happening in the country.

The NPP concluded by indicating that they remain resolute in their commitment to uphold the rule of law, protect the constitutional and human rights of citizens, and restore public trust in our democratic institutions.

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