The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has petitioned the Diplomatic Corps in Accra over what he describes as a growing wave of political persecution and intimidation under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.

In a petition dated Thursday, September 11, 2025, the legislator warned that Ghana's democracy is "at a dark crossroads" and accused the President of transforming state security agencies into "political attack dogs" whose mandate is no longer the protection of citizens but the silencing of dissent.

Assafuah pointed to recent high-profile cases involving opposition figures, former government officials and young activists as evidence of what he termed "Rambo-style raids" and politically motivated arrests.

He cited the invasion of the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison, on March 19, 2025, describing it as "no ordinary search but a show of brute force, a deliberate act of intimidation against a man who served this country with distinction."

He further highlighted the treatment of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, whose home was stormed by security operatives in his absence before the Office of the Special Prosecutor declared him a fugitive and issued an Interpol red notice.

"Instead of lawful prosecution, we have witnessed a theatre of intimidation…not an act of justice but a calculated humiliation to break a man's spirit and tarnish his legacy."

The Old Tafo MP also raised concerns about raids on the homes of the former Vice President's aide-de-camp and other political figures, including Rev Ntim Fordjour, MP.

He accused the government of extending its clampdown to outspoken youth voices, including media personality OKatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, Alfred Ababio Kumi (popularly known as Adenta Kumi), and controversial social media influencer Fante Comedy.

"Your Excellency, what unites all these ordeals is not justice but politics. The security forces have been turned into political attack dogs, operating without regard for legality or human rights.

'NDC intimidating NPP supporters with political power' – Dr Bawumia

"Court processes are abused, bail is weaponised, and the presumption of innocence has been discarded. The police, EOCO, National Security and even the OSP are being manipulated into serving partisan ends. The aim is not to fight corruption but to fight critics.

"The message is loud and terrifying: in John Mahama's Ghana, criticism equals crime and opposition equals danger,“ he lamented.

According to him, even senior party officials have not been spared, referencing the arrests of Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC).

"His supposed crime is nothing more than being an uncompromising critic of this government," Assafuah said of Chairman Wontumi.

On Abronye DC's case, he argued that "the charge against him is nothing more than a misdemeanour, yet the weight of the state is being weaponised to crush a political opponent."

Chairman Wontumi arrested and detained by EOCO

The MP insisted that the developments have created a climate across the country.

"This is no longer the safe Ghana we knew. Our democracy is being stripped bare. Fear has become the new constitution, ordinary citizens now whisper in their own homes, uncertain who might be watching, listening or waiting to pounce."

Appealing directly to the Diplomatic Corps, Assafuah urged the international community to,”

1. Take due note of these disturbing developments and their implications for Ghana's democracy.

2. Urge the Government of Ghana to immediately end the unlawful raids, arbitrary arrests and political persecution of citizens.

3. Encourage respect for the rule of law, due process, and the protection of fundamental
freedoms.

4. Support the Ghanaian people in defending democratic space against authoritarianism.

Your Excellency, the events we recount today are not isolated missteps; they are a grand political scheme to erase criticism and create a culture of fear.

"Ghana today teeters on the edge of authoritarianism disguised as democracy. We must resist this descent with every democratic tool available to us."



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