The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has petitioned the Diplomatic Corps in Accra, alleging a growing trend of political persecution and intimidation under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
In a petition dated Thursday, September 11, 2025, Assafuah warned that Ghana’s democracy was “at a dark crossroads,” accusing the President of turning state security agencies into “political attack dogs” tasked with silencing dissent instead of protecting citizens.
The MP cited a series of recent incidents as evidence of what he described as politically motivated harassment of opposition figures, former officials, and youth activists.
Among the cases highlighted was the March 19, 2025, raid on the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison, which Assafuah described as “a show of brute force and a deliberate act of intimidation.” He also referenced the treatment of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, whose home was stormed by operatives in his absence before the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) later declared him a fugitive and issued an Interpol red notice.
“Instead of lawful prosecution, we have witnessed a theatre of intimidation—calculated humiliation to break a man’s spirit and tarnish his legacy,” he argued.
The petition further raised concerns about raids on the homes of the former Vice President’s aide-de-camp, as well as other political figures including Rev. Ntim Fordjour, MP. Assafuah also accused the government of targeting outspoken youth voices such as broadcaster OKatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, activist Alfred Ababio Kumi (Adenta Kumi), and social media personality Fante Comedy.
According to him, security agencies including the police, EOCO, National Security, and the OSP have been manipulated for partisan ends. He alleged that “court processes are abused, bail is weaponised, and the presumption of innocence has been discarded.”
He further cited the arrests of Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC) as additional examples of the alleged clampdown on critics of the government.
“This is no longer the safe Ghana we knew. Fear has become the new constitution—ordinary citizens now whisper in their own homes, uncertain who might be watching, listening, or waiting to pounce,” he wrote.
Assafuah appealed to the Diplomatic Corps to:
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Take note of the alleged political persecution and its implications for Ghana’s democracy.
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Urge government to end unlawful raids, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation.
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Encourage respect for rule of law, due process, and fundamental freedoms.
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Support Ghanaians in defending democratic space against authoritarian tendencies.
“The events we recount today are not isolated missteps; they are part of 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,” Assafuah concluded.
