NDC Petitions Commonwealth Secretariat Over Persecution Of Its Members

The NDC has petitioned the Commonwealth Secretariat to investigate and subsequently sanction the current administration over what party calls bad governance and abuse of human rights. At a press briefing in Accra, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said petition is to draw the attention of the international

body to instances of abuse of the judiciary, the political persecutions, and abuse of human rights. Asiedu Nketia noted these acts are against the norms and practices of the members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Since assuming power in the 2016 the message of physical violence against political opponents that the President

Akufo  Addo preached and championed before the 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 of the NDC. General Secretary also told the media in a press conference. He

continued; Significantly, buffer institutions such as the judiciary whose core mandate is to mediate between the interest of opposing parties, and also ensure that the promotion of the rule of law and the promotion of individual liberties have become systematic enfeeble with the attendance of loss of the public confidence in these institutions, Apart from the political opponents, several journalists have been arrested and detained

under the governing New Patriotic Party NPP. Recently, Accra FM’s presenter, Kwabena Bobbie Ansah was also arrested for the publication of false news and offensive conduct, while Power FM’s Oheneba Boamah Bennie was jailed for two weeks and then fined GH¢3,000 for contempt of court. There have been countless calls on President Nana Akufo-Addo to let his actions reflect his support for the promotion of human rights.