The National Youth Wing of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday embarked on a massive demonstration in Accra against what it described as state-sponsored harassment of its members and the abuse of power by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The demo christened “Yɛn Suro Ahunahuna” had thousands of NPP supporters and ordinary Ghanaians taking to the streets to express their anger over continuous harassment and injustice against the leading opposition party members.
The demonstration began at the Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle early morning and proceeded through key parts of the capital to the Ghana Police Service headquarters, where the NPP youth wing submitted a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno.
NPP leaders have accused the police leadership of allowing itself to be used by the John Dramani Mahama government to target and intimidate individuals associated with the opposition.
The demo, according to them, is aimed at drawing public attention to what they believe is a growing pattern of politically motivated arrests and investigations, stressing that the rights of their members and sympathisers are being undermined.
Security personnel were heavily deployed along the protest route to ensure peace and order, as demonstrators carried placards and chanted slogans demanding justice and fairness for NPP sympathizers.
Petition to Mahama, IGP
Apart from the IGP, the NPP youth wing also petitioned President John Mahama over “selective justice” and growing harassment against its members.
The main opposition party vowed to continue pushing back against what it called “state-sponsored intimidation,” urging civil society and international partners to take note of the developments.
The party’s National Youth Organiser, Mr Salam Mustapha, warned that the current police leadership risked damaging the integrity of the service if the trend continues.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akuapem North, Mr Sammi Awuku, also accused the Mahama-led government of deliberately targeting opposition figures and their supporters through the selective application of the law.
Speaking at the demonstration, Mr. Awuku said the government was using intimidation tactics to weaken the opposition.
“Today, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. The selective application of the rule of law and the laws of our country is sickening,” he declared.
Mr Awuku pointed to incidents where senior members of the governing NDC were treated with leniency despite making inflammatory statements, while opposition leaders faced severe consequences for relatively minor remarks.
“You will have a Vice Chairman of a ruling party making incendiary comments and attacks, and threatening bodily harm and the elimination of opposition figures. He’s called over tea or coffee, and he’s granted bail.
“Then you have the regional chairman of the opposition party make comments that the police find it offensive and difficult to stomach, and the person is put behind bars and given draconian bail conditions,” the Akuapem North MP criticised.
Mr. Awuku also commended young members of the NPP for resisting harassment and intimidation, stressing that the party would not allow its leaders to be silenced.
“I’m happy that the NPP’s young folks have risen to the occasion and are also clear in their minds that they will resist oppressors’ rule and speak against injustice, and also speak against the harassment and intimidation and the deliberate gagging up of opposition party leaders; this we will not allow,” he warned.
