The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the government of intensifying the arrest and harassment of its members, urging supporters to remain disciplined and focus on holding the administration accountable rather than engaging in actions that could divert attention from national issues.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 23, 2026, the party’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, alleged that the arrests of opposition members under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama had become increasingly frequent and appeared to be part of a broader attempt to weaken the opposition.
Mr. Ahiagbah called on President Mahama to intervene and discourage what the NPP described as the targeting of its members, insisting that democratic governance requires tolerance of political dissent and respect for the rights of the opposition. Despite its concerns, the party appealed to its members to remain calm and law-abiding, cautioning against any conduct that could shift public attention away from what it described as the government’s performance.
According to Mr. Ahiagbah, the government is deliberately seeking to divert national attention from pressing economic and governance challenges by focusing public discourse on the arrests of opposition figures. He argued that Ghanaians are more concerned about the rising cost of living, persistent youth unemployment, questions surrounding judicial independence and governance, and what the NPP described as the government’s failure to deliver on key campaign promises.
“The government should not be allowed to distract Ghanaians from the real issues confronting the country,” he said, urging party supporters to concentrate on highlighting policies and developments that directly affect citizens.
Mr. Ahiagbah further advised party members to avoid inflammatory rhetoric, insults or actions that could undermine the NPP’s efforts to scrutinise the government’s performance. He stressed that the party’s most effective tools in fulfilling its role as the main opposition remain facts, evidence and disciplined advocacy, which he said would enable it to hold the government accountable while articulating the concerns of Ghanaians.
The statement comes amid heightened political tensions between the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition NPP, with the latter maintaining that recent law enforcement actions against some of its members raise concerns about political intolerance.
The government has not publicly responded to the latest allegations contained in the NPP’s statement.
Philbert Amiba Ayuusah