Election 2024: NPP has led Ghana into democratic recession, vote them out—GFL to Ghanaians

Mr. Abraham Koomson, Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), on Monday revealed that there is strong evidence that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has pushed Ghana into a democratic recession.

“Under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, most democratic institutions and governance bodies are experiencing a decline in values.

“Most of these institutions are experiencing the erosion of civil liberties, the weakening of the rule of law, and the rise of authoritarian leaders,” Mr. Koomson stated during engagement with media in Tema.

He said Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia's leadership over the past eight years has reversed the country’s democratic gains, leading to a democratic recession.

Mr. Koomson stressed that under the NPP there is a decline in civil liberties leading to restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly, and the press.

“Ghana is experiencing an erosion of judicial independence, arbitrary detention, and human rights violations. Rise of authoritarian leaders who concentrate power, suppress opposition, and undermine democratic institutions,” Mr. Koomson stated.

The GFL explained that the NPP, through the efforts of the party leadership, President Akufo-Addo, and its Presidential Candidate Dr. Bawumia, have tacitly weakened governance bodies, made parliament ineffective, and continued to manipulate the political process.

He said the NPP government believes in populism and the use of authoritarian powers that promote and support non-democratic governance, “even though they extolled their democratic credentials, they rather rule through authoritarian means.”

In a related development, Mr. Koomson has voiced the frustration of Ghanaian workers, stating they are eager for change in the upcoming December 7 elections.

He said workers have endured significant hardships under the current NPP government and are ready to elect a party that will improve their conditions.

Mr. Koomson emphasized the need for a free, fair, and transparent election to ensure that the will of the people is respected, stressing that “Ghanaian workers have suffered deeply under this NPP government. They’re still struggling, and they’re ready for a new direction.”

The GFL Secretary General expressed confidence that workers will turn out in large numbers to vote for change but raised concerns about the security of their votes, adding that “workers are prepared to vote massively for a change, but we need a guarantee that our votes will truly count.”

Mr. Koomson predicted that based on this on the ground, the hardship, loss of investment of pensions, collapse of local banks, excessive borrowing, high interest rate, the struggling cedi, the high cost of fuel, and general economic hardship, “the NPP, led by Dr. Bawumia, may struggle to secure even 30 percent of the valid votes in a free, fair, and transparent election.”