Investigative Ghanaian journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has taken a swipe at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and organisers of the recently held “Democracy Under Attack” protest in Accra.

On August 7, 2026, a pressure group, in collaboration with the New Patriotic Party, staged a protest against what it described as attacks on Ghana’s democracy, judicial independence, and constitutional freedoms.

Reacting to the demonstration in a post shared on X on August 6, 2026, Manasseh Azure questioned the organisers, asking what democracy they believed was under attack.

The journalist further questioned why Ghana’s judicial autonomy score declined during the NPP’s tenure in government, citing the Mo Ibrahim Good Governance Index.

NPP storms Accra streets for 'Democracy Under Attack' demonstration

"Which democracy is under attack? The democracy in which Ghana’s judicial autonomy fell from its 100% score between 2014 and 2017 to 50% in 2023 in the Mo Ibrahim Good Governance Index?

“The democracy in which your best performance in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index was your predecessor’s worst?” he asked.

Manasseh Azure also questioned whether the same democracy the protesters claimed was under attack was not equally under threat when demonstrators against illegal mining were arrested, denied bail, and remanded into custody.

He further referenced the killing of a journalist and the treatment of media practitioners during the NPP administration.

“The democracy in which young men and women were arrested, refused bail and remanded in custody for weeks because they protested against illegal mining? The democracy in which a leading member of your party openly incited an attack against a journalist, and when the journalist was shot and killed, nothing happened to him?

“And your president said at the Bar Conference in Takoradi that the journalist’s killing could not be described as an attack on press freedom?” he wrote.

The investigative journalist also questioned whether the NPP had forgotten the decline in Ghana’s press freedom ranking during its time in office.

According to him, the party should not complain about issues it allegedly presided over while in government.

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"The democracy in which Ghana’s press freedom ranking deteriorated from 26th position in 2016 to 60th in 2022? The democracy in which some journalists had to flee the country for their lives, and where the crushing of dissenting voices became so palpable that the likes of Sir Sam Jonah openly decried the return of the culture of silence and suffered a barrage of attacks?

“Those who presided over these developments should not complain about the very issues they are now protesting against,” he added.

Read the full post below:

Which Democracy is Under Attack? pic.twitter.com/zbl0BgOMjx

— Manasseh Azure Awuni (@Manasseh_Azure) August 6, 2026