The 2024 presidential candidate of the People’s National Party (PNP), Janet Asana Nabla, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over the recent arrests and detention of individuals accused of making offensive comments about public officials.
Nabla accused the President of presenting himself as a compassionate and God-fearing leader while, in her view, the actions of his administration tell a different story.
Her comments followed a recent demonstration in Accra organised under the “Women’s Voices Matter” initiative over the arrest and detention of Salomey Awity Baffoe, a 40-year-old senior nursing officer and mother of three from Techiman.
The protesters described the arrests as unlawful and raised concerns about what they consider threats to free speech and women’s rights.
Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, Nabla alleged that the government was using state security agencies to intimidate women who criticise the administration.
“There are several women with cases currently pending before the High Court who are facing very difficult times. These arrests are happening because the government wants to silence the voices of women,” she said.
Nabla questioned whether Ghana was returning to what she described as a “culture of silence”, arguing that the NDC had been highly critical of the previous administration while in opposition without facing similar treatment.
She alleged that the current government was now using the security agencies against political opponents and critics.
Nabla also dismissed President Mahama’s recent expression of concern over some arrests involving political commentators, describing the comments as political optics.
She referred to an earlier warning attributed to Mahama that security agencies would use internet protocol addresses to identify and prosecute individuals who insult public officials on social media.
According to Nabla, the warning is now being reflected in the arrests and prosecutions she is protesting.
“Our question to President John Dramani Mahama is whether we are under a military regime. Are we under military rule? If former President Akufo-Addo had arrested you and your NDC people like you are doing today, would you have liked that?” she asked.
Nabla went further to accuse Mahama of presenting a public image that, in her view, does not reflect his administration’s actions.
“President Mahama pretends to be a compassionate person through his public speeches but all these are just for public show,” she said, before making further harsh accusations about the President’s character.
She also accused the government of targeting women and said the recent demonstration was intended to send a strong message against what she described as intimidation and harassment.
“What we are saying is that enough is enough. President Mahama has set his eyes on women to silence, intimidate, and harass them. That is why we went on the demonstration. We, the women of Ghana, have had enough, and we will no longer allow anyone to harass us,” she declared.
Nabla further criticised Mahama over his campaign promise to allocate 30 percent of ministerial and political appointments to women.
She argued that instead of delivering on that commitment, the government had seen an increase in the arrest of women, which she described as contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and the Affirmative Action Act.
She also raised concerns about the President’s failure to establish the proposed Women’s Development Bank, arguing that government had focused more attention on arrests than on initiatives intended to support women.
Nabla warned that the demonstrations could be expanded nationwide if the government failed to release women she said had been arrested or jailed for criticising the administration.
While acknowledging that some social media users may sometimes use offensive language, she argued that arrest and prosecution should not be the first response.
She instead called for caution, dialogue and reformation, rather than what she described as arrest, harassment and prosecution.
