Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday staged a large-scale protest in Accra, accusing the administration of President John Mahama and the nation’s police chief of pursuing politically motivated arrests and investigations aimed at intimidating party members.
The demonstration, branded “Yɛn Suro Ahunahuna” — which translates to “We Fear Hardship” in Akan — drew hundreds of protestors to the streets of the capital. The march began at the iconic Obra Spot near Kwame Nkrumah Circle and wound through key sections of the city, culminating at the national police headquarters, where party officials formally delivered a petition.
In the petition, addressed to President Mahama and Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the NPP accused the government of engaging in a campaign of “selective justice,” warning that continued targeting of its members threatens to undermine public confidence in the country’s security institutions.
“This pattern of harassment is not coincidental,” said Salam Mustapha, the party’s National Youth Organizer. “It is a deliberate effort to use state power to silence dissent and intimidate the opposition.”
Tuesday’s protest was marked by a strong security presence, with heavily armed personnel deployed along the route to maintain order. Demonstrators waved placards and chanted slogans demanding impartiality in law enforcement and an end to what they described as “state-sponsored intimidation.”
The NPP has vowed to intensify pressure on the government in the coming weeks, calling on civil society groups and international observers to scrutinize what it claims is a deterioration of democratic norms.
“The integrity of our democratic institutions is at stake,” Mr. Mustapha said. “The police service must remain neutral and uphold its constitutional duty to serve all Ghanaians, regardless of political affiliation.”
