Ghanaian lawyer and politician, Bernard Baidoo has defended the use of Sections 207 and 208 of Ghana’s Criminal Code in recent arrests, arguing that the provisions were retained under the previous NPP administration and should not now be portrayed as a political tool of President John Mahama.

The Akwatia MP said the arrests being discussed were connected to alleged offences under the two provisions, which deal with offensive conduct and false publication, rather than simply insults against public officials.

“The police have never said that they were arrested because of insult. But they were arrested in connection with Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Code, which is law in Ghana,” he said.

Baidoo noted that the same provisions had been used in previous administrations to arrest individuals, including journalists and public figures.

He also argued that although the NPP government under former President Nana Akufo-Addo led efforts to repeal criminal libel provisions, Sections 207 and 208 remained in the Criminal Code.

“When Nana Addo led for the repeal of the criminal libel sections in the Criminal Code, he saw 207 and 208. He left it,” Baidoo said.

He questioned why the NPP was now criticising the current administration over the enforcement of those provisions, insisting that the law should be applied consistently regardless of which party is in power.

Baidoo said President Mahama did not need to personally direct arrests for law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties.

“President Mahama doesn’t need to, when the law enforcement officers are enforcing the law, it doesn’t need to be even in the know,” he said.

However, Baidoo stressed that he would not support the use of the law to target individuals simply because of their political views or personal disagreements with those in authority.

“What is important to me is that nobody abuses these provisions in the law and just goes after anybody because they don’t like him. I would not support it,” he said.