DEMOCRACY CANNOT THRIVE UNDER FEAR: GHANAIANS MUST STAND AGAINST POLITICAL INTIMIDATION
Ghana’s 1992 Constitution is clear: freedom of speech, political participation, and equality before the law are not privileges granted by any government; they are constitutional rights protected under Articles 17 and 21. Any attempt, whether direct or indirect, to intimidate citizens or political opponents for expressing opinions or carrying out lawful duties threatens the democratic foundation of the Republic and cannot be ignored in any constitutional democracy that claims to respect human rights and political pluralism.
The public concerns raised by former Vice President and the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, regarding arrests, detentions, callous bail conditions, and alleged intimidation of opposition voices deserve serious national attention, not political dismissal.
Recent incidents include the arrest and detention of David Essandoh over social media comments on the return of dumsor, as well as the decision to place NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, into custody.
These disturbing developments pose a serious threat to free speech and the democratic values Ghana has carefully built over the years. I unequivocally express grave concern over what increasingly appears to be a coordinated use of state power to victimize, persecute, and suppress members of the New Patriotic Party. In every true democracy, opposing voices must be challenged through ideas and debate, not fear and intimidation.
History has shown that democracies decline gradually when governments begin to weaponize state power against opponents. Ghana has spent more than three decades building a reputation as one of Africa’s most stable democracies since the return to constitutional rule in 1992. That reputation must not be damaged by actions that create fear, silence dissent, or weaken public confidence in the neutrality of state institutions.
Democracy survives through institutions, not intimidation. Our democratic future depends on tolerance, restraint, and respect for constitutional rights. Political power is temporary, but the Constitution and the freedoms of the Ghanaian people must remain protected at all times.
Blessing Mantey
