Redirect energy to governance, not arrests — Agyarko
An aspiring National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has called on the Mahama administration to shift its focus from pursuing political critics to addressing the economic challenges confronting Ghanaians.
According to him, the government’s response to dissent through arrests and detentions risked undermining the country’s democratic credentials and constitutional freedoms.
“The Mahama administration should redirect its energy from chasing critics towards solving the economic challenges that fuel such criticisms,” he stated.
Mr Agyarko made the call in a statement in which he expressed concern over what he described as the “systematic arrest and detention” of NPP activists for exercising their right to dissent.
He argued that a confident government should respond to criticism with “superior arguments and demonstrable facts” rather than intimidation.
Constitutional rights
The aspiring NPP chairman said the actions of state authorities represented “a dangerous retreat towards autocracy” and an assault on the democratic principles underpinning the Fourth Republic.
Citing Article 21 (1) (a) of the 1992 Constitution, Mr Agyarko stressed that freedom of expression remained a guaranteed right and warned against any attempts to revive what he referred to as the “culture of silence”.
“The historic repeal of the Criminal Libel Law was intended to permanently bury the culture of silence,” he said.
He further argued that the use of state security institutions against political opponents violated Article 14 of the Constitution, which was intended to protect personal liberty.
“To weaponise the state security apparatus against political opponents for their opinions is a violation of personal liberty and an affront to our national progress,” he stated.
Mr Agyarko urged state institutions and civil society groups to intervene to safeguard democratic governance and maintain public confidence in the country’s institutions.
He called on the Ghana Police Service to remain neutral and uphold its constitutional mandate.
“The Ghana Police Service must remain an institution of the Republic, dedicated to public order rather than political suppression,” he said.
He also appealed to the National Peace Council, the clergy, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to speak against actions that could heighten political tensions.
“If we allow one voice to be silenced today, we invite the muzzle of censorship for every citizen tomorrow,” he added.
Demands
Mr Agyarko further called for the immediate release of persons detained over speech-related offences or for them to be granted what he described as a fair and transparent hearing.
He also urged the government to discontinue the use of Section 208 of the Criminal Code in matters relating to political expression and dissent.
“To foster enduring peace and good governance, all state actors must uphold constitutional freedoms and democratic accountability,” he said.
Mr Agyarko reaffirmed his confidence in Ghana’s democratic tradition, describing the country as “a beacon of hope for democracy in Africa”.
