The New Patriotic Party (NPP) staged a major demonstration in Accra yesterday, accusing the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of systematic harassment and political persecution of its members.

The protest, dubbed Y?n Suro Ahunahuna, began at 6 a.m. from Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, drawing hundreds of party supporters and sympathisers clad in red and black.

Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “EOCO should hunt corruption, not opponents”, “Arrest corruption, not innocent citizens”, “Ghana belongs to the people, not to a tyrant”.

The march went through the principal streets of the capital, ending at the Police Headquarters and the Jubilee House, where party leaders presented a petition.

Leading figures spotted at the event included the National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye; the National Youth Organiser, Salam Mustapha; a former Health Minister, Bernard Okoe-Boye; a Member of Parliament (MP) for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, and former Okaikwei South MP, Darkua Newman.

State-sponsored harassment

Presenting the petition, Salam Mustapha accused the President Mahama administration of reviving a culture of silence and using state institutions to intimidate political opponents.

The petition, addressed to the President and security chiefs, outlined what the NPP described as a troubling pattern of state-sponsored harassment.

He cited the arrests of the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Wontumi), and Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe (Abronye), as well as the detention of journalists and social media activists critical of the government.

He also accused the police, EOCO, National Security, the Judiciary and the National Intelligence Bureau of being weaponised against dissenting voices, rather than focusing on insecurity and illegal mining.

Specific cases mentioned included the arrest of NPP social media activist, Daniel Adomako, alias “Sir-Obama Pokuase”, and the detention of journalists like Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah and staff of Wontumi TV.

Mr Mustapha also cited what he described as the “Rambo-style” arrest of Bono Regional Chairman, Abronye, for comments against the IGP, which he argued should have been pursued through a civil suit rather than criminal prosecution.

He further condemned raids on the homes of former government officials by supposed National Security operatives, accusing them of theft during such operations.

Onerous bail conditions

Another concern raised was the imposition of onerous bail conditions on arrested NPP members, including GH¢50 million and GH¢80 million conditions imposed on former Buffer Stock Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba, and his wife.

The petition also highlighted cases involving former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and former Zongo Development Minister, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, describing them as politically motivated.