Date:
15 July 2026 1:09pm WAT
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) spokesperson for Gender and Social Protection, Akosua Manu, has accused the administration of President John Dramani Mahama of using arrests and stringent bail conditions to intimidate political opponents and discourage dissent.
Speaking on recent developments, Manu alleged that the arrests of some government critics appeared intended to discourage opposition voices rather than strengthen accountability.
According to her, the opposition remains the most vocal critic of the current administration, and she claimed the government was seeking to limit avenues for public scrutiny.
“They are arresting dissenters and imposing excessive bail conditions to silence critics. The opposition is their loudest critic, and they believe they already have control over much of the media, while some civil society organisations that would ordinarily speak out have also been muted,” she said.
Manu argued that democratic governance requires citizens, opposition parties and civil society organisations to express dissenting views without fear of intimidation.
She maintained that open public debate and accountability are essential for strengthening democratic institutions.
The NPP spokesperson also claimed that the government’s actions could create an environment in which constitutional changes, including those relating to presidential tenure, might be pursued. However, she did not present evidence that any formal process to amend Ghana’s Constitution or alter presidential term limits had begun.
She urged Ghanaians to remain vigilant and continue holding elected officials accountable through democratic processes, encouraging citizens to participate actively in discussions on governance and constitutional issues.
Manu also referred to the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, saying the development had generated increased public debate and scrutiny of the current administration.
In addition, she argued that some of the government’s flagship campaign promises, including the proposed 24-hour economy and job creation initiatives, have yet to be fully implemented.
She said the administration should focus on delivering its policy commitments while responding to concerns raised by the opposition.
The NPP spokesperson further alleged that some members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) privately disagreed with discussions about any possible extension of presidential tenure but were unwilling to express those views publicly. She did not provide evidence to support the claim.
“Even within their party (NDC), there are people against the third-term agenda plan, but they just can’t say it because most of them are still waiting for appointments, so they can’t criticise it, but they know for sure that it’s a bad idea,” she said.
Manu stressed that any future proposal to amend constitutional provisions relating to presidential tenure should be subjected to broad public consultation and democratic scrutiny.
She also called on state institutions to continue performing their responsibilities independently and in accordance with the rule of law, arguing that public confidence in democratic institutions depends on fairness, transparency and accountability.
The Mahama administration had not publicly responded to Manu’s allegations at the time of filing this report.
