Hundreds of Ghanaians, including supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), civil society activists and members of other opposition groups, took to the streets of Accra on Thursday for the party’s “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration.
The protest, which brought parts of the capital to a standstill, was organised by the NPP to raise concerns over what it describes as threats to Ghana’s democratic values, rule of law and freedom of expression under the government of President John Dramani Mahama.
Demonstrators argued that the protest was not only about recent court cases and arrests but also about what they termed a broader pattern of selective justice and restrictions on citizens’ ability to freely express their views.
Addressing the crowd, NPP leaders and other speakers including the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin accused the government of using state institutions, particularly the justice system, to target political opponents while shielding individuals associated with the ruling party.
They cited the discontinuation of some corruption-related cases involving former NDC government officials alongside ongoing investigations and prosecutions involving former NPP appointees as evidence of what they described as unequal treatment under the law.
“The justice system must not become a tool for political persecution.
Accountability must apply equally to everyone, regardless of political affiliation,” he told the gathering.
The demonstrators also expressed concerns about what they described as a return to a culture of silence, citing the arrest and alleged harassment of journalists, activists and citizens who have criticised government policies through traditional and social media platforms.
Placards displayed during the march carried messages accusing the government of undermining democratic freedoms and using state institutions against political opponents.
Some of the messages included: “Ghana’s courts are becoming the opposition’s prosecutor,” and “If corruption is a crime, prosecute everyone including your own.”
Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who joined the demonstration alongside other NPP leaders, accused the Mahama administration of engaging in selective justice and arbitrary arrests.
He stressed that Ghana’s democracy depends on equal justice and the protection of citizens’ rights, warning that using the courts and security agencies against critics threatens the country’s democratic gains.
