Akosua Manu, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) spokesperson for Gender and Social Protection, has alleged that the government of President John Dramani Mahama is using arrests and strict bail conditions to intimidate political opponents and discourage dissent.
Speaking on the issue, Manu claimed that recent arrests of some government critics appeared intended to discourage opposition voices rather than promote accountability.
According to her, the opposition remains the most vocal critic of the current administration, and she believes the government is seeking to weaken avenues for public scrutiny.
“They are arresting dissenters and imposing excessive bail conditions to silence critics. The opposition is their loudest critic, and they believe they already have control over much of the media while some civil society organisations that would ordinarily speak out have also been muted,” she said.
Manu argued that democratic governance requires citizens, opposition parties and civil society groups to be able to express dissenting views without fear of intimidation. She maintained that robust public debate and accountability are essential to strengthening democratic institutions.
