The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed strong concerns over what it describes as a regression in the civil and human rights of Ghanaians under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, as well as a lack of progress in tackling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, March 26, 2026 at the party’s headquarters, Asylum Down, the NPP Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, called out the government for its actions and cited numerous issues that have raised alarm among citizens.
He underscored the NPP’s commitment to holding public servants accountable, pointing to the creation of the Special Prosecutor’s office and the increase in funding for the Auditor-General to improve transparency. He stated, “Holding public servants accountable is ingrained in the value system of the New Patriotic Party.” However, he expressed concern over what he perceives as the government’s approach to combat corruption. According to Ahiagnah, rather than pursuing justice through the courts, the NDC has opted to try individuals in the media, a tactic he described as “persecution, not prosecution.”
The NPP Director of Communicatins pointed to the government’s decision to file a nolle prosequi, clearing members of the current administration who were standing trial for alleged corruption. He argued that this move, directed by President John Dramani Mahama, was part of a broader strategy to target political opponents, especially members of the NPP. “The government is not interested in prosecuting corruption but in persecuting and sowing disaffection against the NPP,” he stated.
He also criticized the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, for allegedly disregarding the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial. Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution provides that citizens have the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. He accused Ayine of presenting unverified evidence through the media, instead of pursuing cases in court, to tarnish the reputations of those accused.
He questioned the Attorney General’s motives, suggesting that either the evidence was weak or the strategy was purely political. In addition to concerns over corruption, Mr Ahiagnah criticized the government’s economic priorities, particularly its 2025 budget, which he described as disappointing.
He highlighted the contrast between the government’s promises during the 2020 election campaign and the current budgetary allocations. “President Mahama campaigned to establish a 24-hour economy, but Ghanaians were left without a clear blueprint or budget to implement this supposed game changer,” he said.
One of the most striking discrepancies, he argued, was the allocation of GHS 2.711 billion for compensation at the Jubilee House, far exceeding the combined allocations for key developmental programs. He pointed out that this figure was greater than the government’s investment in agriculture, youth apprenticeship, coding programs, and women’s development initiatives.
“How can this be? The budgeted amount for compensating a small group of people working around the president is significantly higher than the allocation made to transform the lives of millions of young individuals seeking jobs and opportunities,” he further questioned.
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