The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has revealed that the petition by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the Commonwealth Secretariat against the government is an attempt to run away from justice.
According to him, the allegations brought against government are baseless and as such he will not relent in ensuring that there is “accountability to the people” of Ghana. Mr Dame explained that the cases that have been filed in court are all on account of “solid evidence” that have been “unearthed” through painstaking investigations.
“I find it as a very hypocritical and misleading statement. Because clearly, it’s an attempt to run away from justice. All the government has sought to do is that the NDC and its officers are brought to book. I will not be deterred at all in my quest to ensure that there is accountability for the people of Ghana. The cases that we have investigated and the actions we have filed in court are on account of solid evidence that we have unearthed through painstaking investigation”.
Godfred Yeboah Dame
The NDC in its petition, signed by its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, accused the current administration of human rights abuses and harassment and intimidation of opposing individuals. The party contends that the use of the judiciary by the current administration to intimidate its members contradicts the mandate of good governance.
Reacting to this, the Attorney General revealed that the petition will by no means influence government’s actions against suspects. Citing the incident of Alfred Woyome, he iterated that all this “recourse to the tribunal” is an attempt to get the NDC to run away from justice because their claims are unjustified.
“It is a clear attempt to undermine the administration of justice in the court and an attempt to interfere with the sound administration of justice. As far as I know, no foreign entity can influence or interfere with the courts of justice in the country. As far as I am concerned, all this attempt by the NDC is an attempt to infringe on the sovereignty of Ghana”.
Godfred Yeboah Dame
NDC petitions Commonwealth Secretariat
The opposition NDC in a statement dated February 23, 2022, expressed that since assuming power in 2016, the message of physical violence against political opponents that President Akufo-Addo preached and championed prior to the 2016 general elections has turned into “structural, institutional and systematic forms” of violence. It explained that this is captured in the form of human rights violations, harassment, and political persecutions against members and supporters of the NDC. Subsequently, it noted that the image of the judiciary has further been dented by the delivery of “unreasoned” court judgments.
Following this, the party called on the Commonwealth Secretariat to investigate the matters raised in its petition and assess the adequacy and quality of the justice being administered to members of the NDC who are facing criminal persecutions. It also urged the Secretariat to monitor the human rights situation in Ghana and the criminal persecution of members of the NDC.
“Engage with a broad range of actors, including government officials, political parties, representatives of civil society, to respect, promote and protect human rights in Ghana. Call upon the government of Ghana to put a stop to these persecutions, harassments and killings of supporters and members of the NDC”.
NDC Statement
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