Ghana’s NPP stages protests alleging democratic erosion under NDC rule
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ghana’s main opposition party, has staged protests accusing the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of undermining democratic institutions, restricting free speech, and targeting political opponents. According to Africanews, the demonstrations reflect deepening political tensions between the two parties that have shaped Ghanaian politics for decades.
The NPP, which lost the December 2024 presidential election to the NDC’s John Mahama, has framed its grievances as a defence of Ghana’s reputation as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies. As Africanews reported, protesters accused the government of actions they described as attacks on press freedom and the use of state institutions to pursue political rivals.
A history of democratic alternation
Ghana has long been regarded as a model of democratic governance in West Africa, having experienced multiple peaceful transfers of power since its return to multiparty democracy in 1992. The country’s two-party system has alternated power between the NPP and NDC under the fourth republic, with each party having governed and lost the presidency at the ballot box. That history of peaceful transitions has made accusations of democratic backsliding particularly significant for observers of Ghanaian politics.
The protests come amid heightened political activity following the NDC’s return to power at the end of last year. Opposition movements across Africa frequently turn to street demonstrations to contest electoral outcomes or to press claims of unfair treatment by incumbent governments, and the NPP’s decision to mobilise supporters in public suggests the party intends to keep its grievances in the national conversation in the period ahead.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
