The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has petitioned the Commonwealth Secretariat to investigate and subsequently sanction the current administration over what the party calls bad governance and abuse of human rights.
At a press briefing in Accra today, Monday, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said the petition is to draw the attention of the international body to instances of abuse of the judiciary, political persecutions, and abuse of human rights.
Mr Nketia noted these acts are against the norms and practices of members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
“Since assuming power in 2016 the message of physical violence against political opponents that President Nana Addo Dankwa preached and championed before 2016 General Election has turned into structural institutional and systematic forms of violence in the form of human rights violations, harassment and political persecution against members and supporters the National Democratic Congress,” the NDC General Secretary, told the media in a press conference.
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He continued: “Significantly, buffer institutions such as the judiciary whose core mandate is to mediate between the interest of opposing parties, and ensure the promotion of the rule of law and the promotion of individual liberties have become systematic enfeeble with the attendance of loss of public confidence in these institutions,”
Apart from political opponents, several journalists have been arrested and detained under the governing New Patriotic Party.
Recently, Accra FM’s presenter, Kwabena Bobbie Ansah was arrested for the publication of false news and offensive conduct, while Power FM’s Oheneba Boamah Bennie was jailed for two weeks and fined GH¢3,000 for contempt of court.
There have been countless calls on President Akufo-Addo to let his actions reflect his support for the promotion of human rights.