The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Hon. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has formally petitioned the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps over what he describes as an alarming pattern of “Rambo-style arrests and unlawful raids” under the NDC government. Submitting the petition on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Assafuah warned that Ghana’s democracy is being eroded by fear and intimidation.
“Our democracy must protect dissent, not criminalize it. Ghana deserves freedom, not fear,” he declared, stressing that opposition leaders, journalists, and ordinary citizens have become targets of state-sponsored harassment.
In his petition, Assafuah argued that the country has “been plunged into a climate of fear and intimidation where dissent is punished and criticism is criminalized.” He pointed to the raid on the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, in March, describing it as a chilling act of intimidation.
“At dawn, over twenty heavily armed operatives descended upon his Roman Ridge home, disabling security cameras and rummaging through his belongings like common raiders. No vaults were found, no grand discoveries were made. What was achieved was the deliberate humiliation of a respected public servant,” he wrote.
The MP also referenced the treatment of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, whose home was stormed in February while he was abroad. “Instead of lawful prosecution, we have witnessed a theatre of intimidation. Soldiers and plain-clothed operatives rifled through his refrigerator, gym, kitchen, and personal effects.
This was not an act of justice but a calculated humiliation to tarnish his legacy,” Assafuah stated.
He maintained that similar raids and arrests targeting the ADC to the former Vice President, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, and outspoken youth voices such as Katakyie Afrifa and Adenta Kumi reflect “political vengeance rather than due process.”
He further accused the government of weaponizing state institutions to silence prominent critics like Chairman Wontumi and Abronye DC, describing the arrests and prosecutions as deliberate attempts to weaken the opposition by striking at its boldest defenders.
“These are not isolated cases,” Assafuah cautioned. “They are part of a deliberate strategy to silence dissent and cow the opposition into submission. Ghana must not become a place where the mere act of speaking out can cost you your dignity, your freedom, and your peace of mind.”
See below for his full petion;
