The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over what it describes as the use of state institutions to target opposition figures, warning that such actions could undermine Ghana’s democratic progress.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin made the allegations during his closing remarks at the end of the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament on Friday, July 31.
He accused the government of using investigative and prosecutorial powers to intimidate Members of Parliament and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who hold opposing views.
“We say to the NDC government: stop the harassment of the opposition,” Mr Afenyo-Markin stated.
According to him, democratic governance depends on the ability of citizens and political actors to criticise government without fear of retaliation.
He alleged that some NPP members, including Minority MPs, had been subjected to what he described as politically motivated investigations and prosecutions because of their dissenting opinions.
“Members of the New Patriotic Party, including Minority MPs, have been maliciously targeted and harassed simply for holding different views through the use of the investigative and prosecutorial powers of the state,” he said.
The Minority Leader argued that attempts to suppress criticism could create an environment where citizens become reluctant to express their opinions freely.
“A government that fears its critics has already told us something horrifying about itself,” he added.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also raised concerns about recent court decisions, claiming that some judgments had created perceptions of unequal application of justice.
He alleged that the developments appeared to suggest different standards of treatment for government supporters and opposition members.
He stressed that Ghana’s democracy could only remain strong if opposition voices were protected and allowed to operate freely.
“Ghana is bigger than any one party, and our democracy only works if the opposition can speak,” he said.
The Minority Leader’s comments add to ongoing political debate over the role of state institutions, judicial processes and the protection of opposition rights under Ghana’s democratic system.
