The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly condemned what it describes as the unlawful arrest of veteran journalist Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah by operatives of the National Security.
In a statement signed by Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the NPP, the party expressed outrage over the detention of the outspoken journalist, who has been critical of the John Mahama administration.
“This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.”
New Patriotic Party (NPP)
The NPP further commended Ghanaians who spoke against the journalist’s arrest and praised the legal team and young activists who mobilized to secure his release.
“We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat…to see to the release of the abducted journalist.”
New Patriotic Party (NPP)
NPP Highlights Press Freedom Concerns
Furthermore, the NPP stated that Ghana inherited by the Mahama administration on January 7, 2025, was a nation firmly anchored in democratic principles and freedoms.
The party underscored that Ghana had stood as a beacon of democracy, not only because of its well-established democratic institutions but also due to an unwavering dedication to safeguarding press freedom, as guaranteed under Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution.
“In line with this commitment, the country also went through the painstaking process of repealing the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001, a process that was spearheaded by the immediate past President, H.E Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, who was then the Attorney General of the Republic.”
New Patriotic Party (NPP)
The NPP also strongly condemned what it described as the Mahama administration’s misuse of state security agencies to suppress political opposition and stifle press freedom.
The party argued that deploying security forces to intimidate critics, harass political opponents, and silence journalists was not only undemocratic but also a direct violation of Ghana’s constitutional principles.
Such actions, the NPP insisted, represented a dangerous assault on the country’s democratic values and an unacceptable attempt to erode fundamental freedoms.
They cautioned that any government that resorts to such tactics sets a troubling precedent that threatens the very foundation of Ghana’s democracy, urging civil society and the international community to take note of these developments.
The NPP further asserted that such actions posed a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic achievements and risked undermining the trust citizens have in the country’s governance structures.
By resorting to intimidation tactics against journalists and political opponents, the party argued, the Mahama administration was not only stifling dissent but also reversing hard-won democratic progress.
This, they warned, creates a climate of fear that discourages free expression and weakens the pillars of accountable governance.
The NPP insisted that such a dangerous precedent, if left unchecked, could erode the fundamental freedoms that define Ghana’s democracy, calling on all stakeholders to resist any attempts to roll back the nation’s democratic gains.
Call For Collective Action Against Tyranny
Accordingly, the NPP, called on key institutions, including the Ghana Journalist Association, the Media Foundation of West Africa, and civil society organizations, to stand in solidarity with them in opposing what they described as a growing wave of state-sponsored oppression.
They urged these groups to take a firm stance in defense of press freedom and democratic principles, emphasizing that silence in the face of such blatant intimidation would only embolden further abuses.
The party stressed that a free press and an open political environment are fundamental to Ghana’s democracy, and any attempts to suppress these freedoms must be met with strong resistance from all stakeholders.
“Any attack on press freedom is an attack on democracy itself. If we do not collectively resist these draconian measures now, we risk allowing tyranny to fester and democracy to crumble.”
New Patriotic Party (NPP)
As such, the NPP stressed the importance of protecting press freedom as a cornerstone of democracy and warned that failure to act now could have long-term implications.
The party concluded its statement with a firm warning, stating: “Enough is enough.”
Meanwhile, Okatakyie was arrested on allegations of publishing false news. However, National Security has yet to disclose the specific reasons for his arrest.
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