Vincent Assifuah petitions Diplomatic Corps over ‘human rights abuse’ by Mahama Gov’t

Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assifuah, has petitioned the Diplomatic Community in Ghana, accusing the Mahama-led NDC government of gross human rights abuses and arbitrary harassment of political opponents.

In his petition, the MP alleged that Ghana’s long-standing reputation as a beacon of democracy has been eroded, replaced by what he described as a climate of “fear and intimidation” where citizens are “arbitrarily” arrested and detained without due process.

“Today, Ghana stands at a dark crossroads in our democratic journey. Our beloved nation has been plunged into a climate of fear and intimidation where dissent is punished and criticism is criminalized. What Ghana is experiencing is not democracy, but an orchestrated campaign of political persecution designed to silence voices that refuse to sing praises to the regime,” Assifuah wrote.

He further warned that Ghana’s democracy is being dismantled. “Fear has become the new constitution. Ordinary citizens now whisper in their own homes, uncertain who might be watching, listening, or waiting to pounce. The atmosphere resembles not a free republic but a besieged state where political enemies are hounded one by one.”

Citing incidents of soldiers and masked men raiding homes at night, as well as the arrests of MPs, ministers, and young people over online comments, Assifuah argued that the Mahama government has abandoned democratic principles.

The MP also listed names of NPP members and private citizens he said have been targeted for simply expressing dissenting views.

Assifuah, therefore, appealed to the diplomatic community to intervene. “I call on you to take urgent steps to urge the government to respect Ghana’s democratic values and the rights of citizens by stopping these arbitrary arrests and detentions,” he concluded.