The Minority Caucus says Ghana’s justice and law enforcement system is being deliberately turned into a tool to punish political opponents, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s democracy.
At a high-level meeting with President John Mahama at the Jubilee House, the Minority Leader formally presented what the caucus described as “grave concerns” over governance, security and constitutional order.
The statement signed by the Minority Chief Whip said the pattern unfolding amounts to a “clear and present danger” to the stability of the Republic.
The Minority Leader outlined the caucus’s concerns during the December 8 engagement, which brought together leadership from both sides of Parliament and senior officials from the Presidency.
Central to the Minority’s submission was what it described as the weaponisation of justice through selective investigations, prosecutions, and punitive bail conditions targeting members of the opposition. The caucus warned that this approach risks destroying confidence in the rule of law.
According to the Minority, opposition figures are facing investigations and prosecutions marked by prohibitively high bail terms that function as economic punishment.
At the same time, cases linked to the previous administration, the caucus noted, are being discontinued by filing nolle prosequi.
The Minority described this trend as “justice by party colour” and warned that it undermines the principle that justice must be impartial. They stressed that Ghanaians can only trust the system if “justice is truly blind.”
The caucus also raised alarm over what it called systematic harassment of the Minority in Parliament.
This includes attempts to remove the Minority Leader from the ECOWAS Parliament and efforts to refer him to the Privileges Committee for failing to attend to his parliamentary duties there.
The Minority said this amounts to an attack on the institution of opposition itself.
They cautioned the President that a weakened opposition endangers democracy, insisting that pluralism and dissent are essential for accountable governance.
Beyond the justice system, the Minority linked the issue to a broader pattern of partisan governance. They cited concerns about the use of election petitions to overturn parliamentary results, warning that litigation is being used to engineer by-elections for political gain rather than to seek justice.
The caucus said this practice turns election petitions from instruments of accountability into weapons for seat acquisition, eroding respect for the electorate’s verdict.
The Minority further expressed concern over rising insecurity across the country, noting that violent crime, kidnappings and impunity have created a climate of fear.
They said citizens increasingly feel unsafe in their homes and communities, describing this as a failure of the state’s duty to protect life and property.
Youth unemployment was also flagged as a national security risk, with the Minority pointing to figures showing 1.3 million young people are not in education, employment or training.
They warned that such conditions fuel crime, radicalisation and instability.
The caucus urged the President to intervene decisively, stressing that the power to reverse what they described as dangerous trends rests largely with him.
They concluded by reminding the President that history will judge this moment, asking whether leaders will act to pull Ghana back from the brink or allow partisan interests to erode democratic institutions.
The Minority said it remains open to constructive dialogue but will continue to use all constitutional and parliamentary means to defend democracy, protect institutions and safeguard the welfare of the Ghanaian people.
About the Author
